Professional Documents
Culture Documents
urrey Police have obtained a closure order on a property in Guildford after a warrant to search the property found evidence of drug use and supply at the address. The closure notice comes due to concerns raised by local residents, who at a local panel meeting on 11th April, voted that tackling drug related problems was to be a neighbourhood policing priority. The closure notice was served under the Antisocial Behaviour Act for the address, 16 Southway Court, Park Barn, and put before South West Magistrates Court by Surrey Police and Guildford Borough Council. Evidence was produced to suggest the property was connected to the unlawful use, supply and production of Class A drugs. On 19th April, a search warrant was executed and found traces of Cocaine insides a microwave, on the entry phone at the address. There were also traces of the drug Paraphernalia and a list, detailing names of people with amounts of money next to them, which is supposed a dealer list. There was also further evidence of drugs related anti-social behaviour. In the eighteen months since the tenants entered the property, there have been two incidents involving
firearms and a stabbing recorded at the address. One incident on involved 12th January, two men in balaclavas approaching the property with air rifles. There was a significant damage done to the property and the police firearms team was called out, however, the two men responsible had fled the scene. Other police calls to the property included to an allegation of domestic violence in March, shots being fired from a BB gun and a car window being smashed. The property has already been boarded up as a result of the notification, with the public told the closure is to protect the neighbourhood. The order came in to force with immediate effect and the property will be sealed for three months. It is also in the process of being repossessed by Guildford Borough Council. The tenants, Stephanie Machay and Robert Whittaker, must also pay 250 each in costs. Anyone seen entering the property whilst the order is still enforced will be arrested, and could face a fine or a custodial sentence. Local residents had previously raised concerns over the way the property was being used with some residents claiming they were too scared to leave their
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Editor | Jack White editor@thestagsurrey.co.uk Editor-in-Chief | Bakita Kasadha ussu.communications@ussu.co.uk Deputy Editor (Design) | Hollie Rowe-Roberts design@thestagsurrey.co.uk Design Team | Ellie Brodie, Paul A Richmond, Hannah Roberts-Owen, Christina Morman, Louisa White and Alexandra Wilks Deputy Editor (Marketing) | Tom Goulding marketing@thestagsurrey.co.uk Marketing Team | Shervin Hejazi, Imogen Jones, Eleanor Pearson and Genevieve Webb News News Editor | Jyoti Rambhai news@thestagsurrey.co.uk News Team | Kathryn Braid, Sophie Howard, John Kavanagh, Jyoti Rambhai, Melissa Raske and David Williams Features Features Editor | Nicole Vassell features@thestagsurrey.co.uk Features Team | Peter Bailey, Ellie Brodie, Chris Thomas, Hannah Wann, Becky Powell, Stephen Cartwright, Louisa White, Ellis Taylor and Sophie Vickery Science and Technology Science and Technology Editor | Nathanael Roome sciencetech@thestagsurrey.co.uk Science and Technology Team | Lawrence Finn, Dave Holcombe, Shourya Khanna, Kate McAtamney, Melissa Raske, Alex Smith and Ruth Smithers. Societies Societies Editor | Chris Dighton societies@thestagsurrey.co.uk Arts Dance and Theatre Editor | Hannah Jelliman dancetheatre@thestagsurrey.co.uk Dance and Theatre Team | Emily Bourne, Sarah McDowell, Beth Hedges, Lucy Jarvis, Tiffany Stoneman and Lexi Sutton Film Editor | Tiffany Tucker film@thestagsurrey.co.uk Film Team | Laura Howard, Caroline James, Kristie Marchant, Christina Maria Webb and Louisa White Music Editor | Sophia Field music@thestagsurrey.co.uk Music Team | James Campbell, Liam Conroy, Dan Davidson, Amy McGivern, Tanya Noronha and Elliot Tyres Literature Editor | Alexandra Wilks literature@thestagsurrey.co.uk Literature Team | Rachel Burgess, Stephanie Davies, Tessa Heenan, Candice Ritchie, Emily Smart, Emma Thomas, Sophie Vickery and Rebecca Worley Sport Sport Editor | Jordan Vine sport@thestagsurrey.co.uk Sport Team | Douglas Elder, Arabella Gilby, George Gigney and Sam Limbert Copy Editors | Megan Barnacle, Michaela Fulton, Emma Giles, Candice Ritchie and Louisa White copyteam@thestagsurrey.co.uk Webmaster | Andrew Smith webmaster@thestagsurrey.co.uk Photo Editor | Tessa Morgan photos@thestagsurrey.co.uk
ackline Live, a popular nightclub in Guildford, may have been saved from closure after a potential investor made a lastminute approach. The club had been due to open for the final time on Saturday 21st April as the current tenants are facing a 350 per cent increase in rent, raising the monthly bill from 1,000 to 3,500 for the premises. Network Rail, the current owner of the property situated under the Farnham Road Bridge raised the rental cost following renovation work on the property by the previous tenants. After reassessing the rent, Network Rail argued that due to the amount of money spent on the premises by the previous tenants, the new rent reflects the value added to the property by the changes made to it. The current tenants current temporary trading licence has now expired and a contract must be signed with Network Rail in order for the licence to continue. The club was first opened in June 2010 by Backline Entertainment. An estimated 500,000 was initially spent on making changes to the venue, which included adding a second floor. Backline Live took over the running of the premises, which has a capacity of 300, after the business went in to administration and paid the pre-existing rent to the administrators. The current tenants may agree a deal with the potential investor to ensure the venue remains open, and enlist solicitors to continue negotiations with Network Rail. If the agreement is signed, they will owe Network Rail 35,000 due to rent being backdated from when they took control of the premises in July 2011. The bill will also include three months rent in advance. Network Rail has confirmed the current tenants will not have to leave the property whilst negotiations are ongoing.
T Art of Sport has chosen University of Surreys Lewis Elton Gallery and Surrey Sports Park to host the London 2012 exhibition of Olympic-inspired art as part of the Cultural Olympiad programme. June 2012 will open the doors to the exhibition displaying the art work of the BT Art of Sport project featuring painting, sculpture and photography produced by twelve prominent artists. The artists have been commissioned by London 2012 premier partner BT, with guest contributor Faith Winter. The artists will draw upon the passionate nature of Olympic athleticism in order to portray the drama of this historic event. In order to fully capture the true Olympic experience the artists will work closely with Great Britains elite sportsmen and women. Surrey Sports Park Chief Executive, Paul Blanchard said: We are both excited and proud to be hosting the BT Art of Sport exhibition here at Surrey Sports Park ahead of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The exhibition is set to be a spectacular visual showcase of both the Games and some of the UKs leading artistic talent and I encourage everyone to head to Surrey Sports Park and the Lewis Elton Gallery to take a look. University of Surrey has revealed that artists included in the project are prominent sculptor Ben Dearnley, who will be working with
Apologies
In the print edition of the Stag dated 20th March 2012 we reported the existence of a rumour circulating the University relating to a senior member of the University staff. We accept this should not have been published and would like to apologise for publishing the rumour which we accept to be untrue. On a personal level, I apologise to both the individual concerned and the University for any distress and inconvenience caused. Jack White Editor Also in the last issue, we incorrectly attributed the article entitled Sport Relief to Tom Goulding. This article was in fact written by Katy Sawyer. Many apologies Katy!
The Stag is a newspaper editorially dependent on and published by the University of Surrey Students Union. The views expressed in the paper are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the educational team, the whole Students Union or the University of Surrey. Trinity Mirror (South) 8 Tessa Road, Reading RG1 8NS The Stag reserves the right to edit all submissions and the right to decide which articles are published.
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Depot of Class-A drugs was found in Dry winters force the popular student area of Park Barn water companies to
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homes. One student living only a few houses away on Applegarth Avenue told the stag: I walk past this flat ever day on my way to campus, it pretty scary to think that something like this was to 30 people visiting the address in one day. Neighbourhood Sergeant Steve Hill said: Local residents have suffered serious nuisance, including noise and aggressive behaviour, associated with this property and I hope the community will benefit from the closure order served on the address. I hope now there can be a return to the environment which these people had enjoyed within their locality. The purpose of the notice is not only to help the community affected by the persistent behaviour but to offer support to those involved and help them permanently change their behaviour. I hope this order will send out the message anti-social behaviour will not be tolerated by Surrey Police and we will seek powers such as using the Hearsay Act which was used by residents to give evidence anonymously to bring offenders to justice and keeping Surrey a nice place to live and visit. Lead Councillor for Housing and Social Care at Guildford Borough Council, Cllr Sarah Creedy said: This action demonstrates that behaviour of this nature will not be tolerated within our communities. We will continue to work closely with police and neighbourhood teams to stamp out this sort of activity which blights the lives of some residents. Surrey Police have urged anyone who has information on illegal drug activity or antisocial behaviour in their area to contact their Surrey Police Safer Neighbourhood Team by calling 101 or Guildford Borough Council on 01483 505050.
ban hosepipes
By Alex Smith, News Team
The purpose of the notice is not only to help the community affected by the persistent behaviour but to offer support to those involved and help them permanently change their behaviour.
happening on our doorstep. I remember seeing police being called out on a number of occasions, but I didnt think much of it at the time though. The flat in the Park Barn, Neighborhood Officer PC Grant Darbey told a district judge on April 24th, would sometimes see up
Surrey Police have urged anyone who has information on illegal drug activity or anti-social behaviour in their area to contact their Surrey Police Safer Neighbourhood Team by calling 101 or Guildford Borough Council on 01483 505050.
t was announced last week that the Department for Culture, Media and Sport may be closed down, after the 2012 Olympic Games are over. The departments current responsibilities include the Olympics, the governments role in the Diamond Jubilee celebrations as well as the switch to digital television. Labours deputy leader and culture spokesman Harriet Harman claimed the Prime Minister was poised to close down the Department for Culture, Media and Sport once the Olympic Games are over. Though she opposed such a move, and Downing Street sources insisted it was not in the offing, economists and some Tory ministers back the idea, pointing out that the Government functioned perfectly well before 1992, when the department was created.
According to Mrs Harman, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport is ready to close after the Olympics, and has already halved in size. The Institute of Economic Affairs has claimed that closing the department could save up to 1.6bn, which in turn could give the Government room for tax cuts. This would also cease taxpayer subsidies for museums, libraries and art galleries, which in total account for about a third of this saving, approximately 540 million. However Mrs Harman, deputy Labour leader, said she feared Prime Minister David Cameron is about to deal yet another blow to the arts by abolishing the DCMS altogether. Writing in the Evening Standard she said: There are wellsourced rumours in Westminster and the arts world that after the Olympics, the government will announce that the DCMS is no longer needed. And on her website on
Friday 27th April, she said the Prime Minister should offer a categorical assurance that he would not abolish the department, once the London Games are over. However the government are keen to downplay these rumours, officials have said this to be complete rumours, with Downing Street saying that they did not recognise the reports.
fter a second dry winter, leaving all but the far north of England officially in drought, seven water companies have been forced to declare hosepipe bans. The ban has been issued in an effort to curb water usage and maintain current reservoir levels. Seven major water companies in the south east, including Veolia Water, Thames Water, and South East Water have all declared temporary use bans to help conserve supplies. The last 18 months have been the driest for a century according to Anglian Water, and Thames Water state: Last year was one of the driest on record and groundwater levels are now lower than during the 1976 drought. A figure backed up by the Environment Agency. In-contrast, Scotland has had its wettest winter on record (with around 120 per cent of the average rainfall over the country), while parts of the South East of England had as low as 60 per cent of the usual volumes. Even in western European countries such as France and Spain there is a state of drought, with some regions only receiving 20 per cent of the normal rainfall. Speaking after a meeting with key players in the water industry, the environment secretary, Caroline Spelman, said: Drought is already an issue this year with the South East, Anglia and other parts of the UK now officially in
drought, and more areas are likely to be affected as we continue to experience a prolonged period of very low rainfall. It is not just the responsibility of Government, water companies and businesses to act against drought. We are asking for the help of everyone by urging them to use less water and to start now. With a few easy steps its relatively easy to save water. Simple things like taking shorter showers can save 10 litres a minute and keeping the tap off whilst brushing your teeth can save 6 litres of water a minute. Thames Water also suggests using a washing-up bowl to clean the dishes, only filling the kettle with as much water as necessary and hope that we all learn to use water wisely to ensure there is enough for everyone in years to come.
Are the London 2012 Olympics keeping the departments of culture, media and sport alive?
ccording to the latest Times Higher Education Student Experience Survey, the University of Surrey has rocketed up the tables. The University leapt from 43 amongst UK universities to 15. Over 14,000 undergraduate students from across the country took part in the survey, rating their institutions performance in twenty one various categories that ranged from the quality of staff and lecturers to the social life and accommodation. Director of Student Support, David Dickinson told the Times Higher Education that the results were gratifying. He continued:
We are co-ordinating ourselves to deliver what students need when they need it. This really is the result of a team effort. Colleagues from right across the University have all pulled together to make things better for our students. The University achieved the fourth-greatest improvement this year. In the last two year the University has implemented a new student experience strategy, which includes a 13.2 million investment in the library and learning resources centre, which is open 24 hours a day, and a major overhaul of its student welcome, says the magazine.
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Surreys very own Aaran Steers takes the stage at the NUS conference 2012
he Union of Jewish Students (UJS) stall was vandalised on the first evening (April 24) of the NUS National Conference. The UJS stall appeared to be a target in a discrimination act, whereby posters and banners were defaced with antiIsrael stickers and included the Star of David emblems on the UJS logo being covered up. One student, who asked not to be named said: I couldnt believe what I saw when I came down to the stall. We were all just so hurt, to think that someone here, somewhere that is supposed to be safe place for all students could do such a thing. The following day, NUS President Liam Burns made a statement on conference floor, stating that the act was utterly disgraceful and that anti-Semitism is vile, it is hate and it has absolutely no place in our movement. ...NUS does not tolerate racism, facism or anti-Semitism in any of its forms. We will work day and night to drive our hate from our student movement, education system and society. NUS have launched a full investigation into the attack.
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his year our Union made a little bit of history by submitting and passing a major National Union of Students (NUS) policy. I authored it and spoke for it at NUS Conference, so I would like to tell you a bit about it what prompted it and what we can all hope and work for under its mandate. It wont have escaped your notice that we live in a very expensive part of the country by some reckonings the most expensive outside London, in fact. To put this in perspective, the House Price Index from the Governments Land Registry puts the average house price in the UK at 160,000, but the same figure for Surrey is 297,000 85% more than the national average. These figures translate directly to the amounts we pay in rent. But that does not mean that we have any more income. A single student under the standard student loans and grants arrangement is able to get (at the most) about 9,500 from the Student Loans Company and a bursary of 2,100 from the University. Under Government rules, this 11,600 is supposed to last you for the whole year. In the cheapest places in Britain 11,600 may be just about enough to live a reasonable life, but in Guildford that would be absurd if it wasnt so serious. Take 3,500 off that figure for tuition fees. Take off another 4,000-5,000 for rent. That leaves around 4,000 if your rent is low for the area, for everything else. Those who live off campus then have the added day-
ollowing the NUS Pound in your pocket survey, of students perception of financial support, it was made clear that two thirds (66 per cent) of undergraduates aged between 21 and 24 continuously worry about not having enough money to cover basic living costs. President of the National Union of Students (NUS), Liam Burns added in regards to the lack of sufficient funds that students at all levels of education are telling us that financial support is not reaching the pockets of those that need it most. Indeed, the survey, which was released on the eve of the NUS conference in 2012, investigates the costs faced by students today and the impact of the different ranges of support measures available to them. Severe financial worries, the survey shows, are visible in more than a third of students in every group; with NHS students, students with children and mature students in further education suffering most. Mr Burns further added: Students who struggle to meet basic living costs will also struggle to continue their education. With the recent increase in student tuition fees, there will also inevitably be a certain level of struggle for some students in the future. Websites such as The Student Room have outlined possible effects of dropping out of university due to high living costs.
However, today it seems that it is more cost effective for most, to remain in university as otherwise the debt would accumulate and no degree would be achieved. Nonetheless, the problem with being able to maintain costs is not only existent in university level education. The report also showed that 68 per cent of further education students between 16 and 18, struggling with costs such as travel. Of those students, many would have been eligible for the Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) had it not been scrapped and it is estimated that they spend around 30 a week for transport; equal to the maximum weekly EMA payment that they would have been eligible for. Regardless of such hurdles which students are faced with, Mr Burns stated that the government must ensure that no student is forced out of education because of cost but it seems as though the opposite is what may happen in years to come.
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Sabbaticals Say...
Dont be a sheep stand from the crowd
Students Union president Osama Salih reports back on the annual NUS conference
conference works and how we can vote I was more comfortable with the whole process. The day started by a brilliant and inspiring speech from Omar Mohammed president of students union in Egypt, he spoke about his experiences as a student and the uprising in Egypt; he said that this wouldnt have been possible if all the youth have not come together fighting for one thing. The days then continued with reports from the different zone committees, Higher Education, Further Education, Union Development, Welfare Zone, Societies and Citizenship. After the reports there were discussions on motions submitted and cases put for and against, then the voting was done. There were a couple of interesting fringe sessions to attend, but the highlight of the conference was the Presidents Hustings, it was an interesting battle with 4 candidates all been elected before for a fulltime officer role at NUS. Surrey joined forces with Reading SU to put a motion through about the London Living Wage and that NUS should battle the government that the London weighting should be available to areas outside London with similar costs of living. This motion was past and was on of the first times that Surrey Students Union has put a motion to NUS conference. Thanks to Jack White and the NUS Delegates for making this happen. It was a great experience and I urge as many of you that are here next year to help shape the future of your life and the life of others that are around you. Whether being involved in the elections locally or running as a delegate for the NUS conference or even for NUS block of 15. There are many ways for being involved so Dont be a sheep stand from the crowd.
Osama Salih
Union President
Enihicium dolessus experibus eius aut volendictes ium ditemos rem fugit alit
ver the last couple of weeks of the eastern holidays, we have been gearing up for the NUS conference in Sheffield. The NUS National conference is where policy and agenda is set for the year ahead in each of the 5 zones and elects the President, Vice Presidents and Block of 15 representatives on the National Executive Council. It is also where the budget for the year ahead is decided through the Annual General Meeting (AGM). On the day of the conference, the journey started at 7:00 am leaving Guildford. It took us almost 5 hours to get there, on our arrival there were thousands of delegates attending. It was all very overwhelming being the first National Conference that I have attended, but as the day has gone with the introductions of how the
ummer is fast approaching (not that you would know it), and so is the time of freedom. Right now, you may be facing a pile of books, looking for that one quotation that will score you that magic 70%, but in just a few weeks time you will be free! For these first few weeks this will seem like heaven. And yes, youve probably got some recovering from EOYS and the Lake Party to do as well. However, then what? Whats the plan for those wonderful three months with little more to do than catch up on iPlayer and eat everything at home? Summer is the perfect time to do something a bit different. You have just over
three months to do something youve never done before, or even something you love to do, before you return in October. Yes, you may have some reading to do. Maybe even some dissertation preparation to begin. But you could also do something like volunteer. At the Students Union, were here all Summer, as are the volunteering opportunities that have been compiled for you. If youre staying around in Guildford, then we may be able to find something for you to get involved in, so pop into the office and see Clem, our Volunteering Coordinator. Yes, it is important that you relax this Summer, but its also important to remember the word that will be thrown at you every time you sit down with your tutor: Employability. Three months is a long time so why not head out and do something different. Its worth it in the long run.
Trung
Union VP Sports & Recreation any students have told me about their problems with Wednesday afternoons; mostly that they have to choose whether or not they go to lectures or skip them in order to make it to their sports games. Some choose to skip and some dont but why should students have to face that choice? Of course students are here for their degree, but there are many other opportunities that the University brings to students. This includes sports clubs, societies, language courses and other extracurricular activities. In the case of sport, the
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he University houses more than 5,000 students on campus and helps many more find appropriate accommodation in the private rented sector. Guildford is a great place to live but is located in an expensive part of the country. We recognise that some students face real difficulty meeting current living costs and that all students wish that accommodation costs were lower. The issue of living costs, particularly accommodation rents, featured heavily in the recent SU sabbatical officer elections and is the subject of a national NUS campaign supported by Surreys SU to challenge the government and universities to provide better financial support for students. To help the debate about student rents which it has triggered, I thought it might be helpful to outline to students our approach to setting prices for this important aspect of their University experience. When determining rent prices the University must meet two important obligations. Firstly, it must ensure that if a student chooses to live and study at Surrey, they can be confident that they will not have to pay more for accommodation here than they would for a similar standard room elsewhere; and what they do pay, must represent good value for money. We therefore benchmark
our rent levels carefully to ensure that they are amongst the lowest in the region. This year, we are proposing to increase rents by 3.5%. Although below current rates of inflation and the level set by many other universities we recognise that this increase will be unwelcome to students. However, Surrey will remain one of the lowest cost Universities in the region and nationally for accommodation and will offer one of the best packages of services covered by rent. This includes energy costs, insurance, broadband and mentoring support. As well as offering good value accommodation to students we also understand that we must provide a range of accommodation types including a substantial stock of lower cost rooms where students share facilities such as bathrooms. We have been challenged recently to build more of this type of accommodation to help lower average rents. Our experience of students applying for accommodation is that two thirds typically express a strong preference for the more self-contained, en-suite rooms. This represents a change in requirements from previous generations of students but one the University must respond to. Therefore the new accommodation block currently under construction on Manor Park will provide more en-suite accommodation but our commitment to maintaining
significant quantities of lower priced rooms remains in place. The Universitys second obligation is to set rents at a level necessary to generate sufficient operating/cash surpluses to meet the cost of maintaining its accommodation units and to build the new facilities needed to benefit present and future students. Government grants to fund maintenance and invest in new infrastructure have all but ceased so universities must now generate the cash needed for these important investments from their day to day activities. Whilst it will always be difficult to match a rent increase to a particular investment or initiative, we can highlight a number of recent major improvements funded largely by rent income including the exciting new reception and social facility on Manor Park and thousands of refurbished bedrooms, kitchens and bathrooms. Managing these two conflicting obligations will always be a challenge, particularly given the profound changes to University funding and student finances that we are all now experiencing. We will continue to engage closely with students both individually and via their elected SU representatives as we seek to find that elusive balance between delivering what current students rightly expect and investing for future generations.
The cost of living in Guildford can be very high. The SU is fighting to make accommodation more affordable for students.
10 FEATURES
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Features
he placement year: one of the reasons why a lot of us chose Surrey as the university to spend the three/four years of our higher education at. A chance to gain work experience for our CVs and our industry knowledge, a chance to form contacts and make ourselves that little bit more employable. Come second year, the panic sets in... Researching, organising, applying, cover letters, interviews argh! And that one big fear: what if no-one wants me? What if I just dont get one? Competition is high in some industries, ridiculously high and securing a placement is by no means guaranteed. But, is it really the end of the world if you dont get one anyway? Or, even more so, if you choose not to apply for one? Sure, a placement year can give you great opportunities, you can put what youve studied for the last two years into some practical use and some lucky students that do well on their placements can even end up coming out at the end of it with job offers. However, despite the recognition given to them, taking a placement year does have its flaws. Money and living issues can
be a problem; commuting is expensive, many placements do not pay and you may find youre faced with having to move quite far out to be able to do the placement you ideally want. Although loans can be taken out for the year, this is still a loan. You will have to pay it back, on top of the other three years of university you will already have debt for. Adding an extra year onto your course does have its drawbacks! As well as that, the stress of the application process seems to be reported by many second year students to take its toll. Some recruitment procedures include online tests and various interview stages, as well as the standard CV and tailored cover letter. Say you are doing that ten times, for each company youre applying at? You can imagine it gets a little hectic. Applications can be very timeconsuming and balancing your uni work with it can be tricky, so applying for a placement year is by no means the easy route. Although going through the application process is obviously a valuable learning experience one which well sadly all have to do eventually - you can save yourself a lot of time and tedious effort if you do make an executive decision not to do one.
The most central issue with the placement year comes down to whether it will really be beneficial, for you. A head of department from Royal Holloway University, who doesnt currently run placement years, says the main problem with them is suitability. The suitability of the placement depending on the course you do and what field you want to go into is crucial. For instance, he says that many of his psychology students are hoping to go into clinical psychology, but students are unable to secure placements in that setting for obvious reasons. Spending a year working for say, a bank, is not going to be highly beneficial. Therefore the cons of taking one far outweigh the pros. Now Im not at all condemning taking a placement year far from that but it is true that taking one isnt for everyone. Focusing on extra-curricular activities and work in societies can be similarly beneficial to your CV and your employability. Using the extra time you have from not applying for a placement year and then not working nine till five for a year to get a little proactive, rather than just relaxing and doing your course, can make you stand out in the job market too.
Moreover, deciding not to do a placement year in third year doesnt prevent you from doing any work experience by any means. In some industries, finding a YEAR placement is pretty impossible and they tend to run in weeks or months. Student holidays are pretty damn good a month off just at Easter leaves quite a lot of opportunity to apply for a week or so at a company, making the most of the time already given to you. It also has less of the drawbacks
of taking a whole year out for a placement and is a more financially viable option, as many current second and third students seem to have found. So, overall, no not doing a placement year isnt the end of the world. For a lot of students it seems to be the smarter choice. But not doing one also doesnt mean you can sit on your arse doing the bare minimum for another year, despite how oh-so-tempting it is...
Union customers!
by all means; if it hasnt worked for the last few years, I doubt itll work for my remaining few weeks. Also (seeing as were still on box office), moaning, but its only 11.15, why cant I just pay 1.50? Reason: because its past 11pm, so give me the 3 for your Citrus entry and next time try getting here before 11pm if the 1.50 matters that much to you. Those of you who spill your own drink and ask for a free cheeky re-fill. To those of you who lose your cloakroom tickets, dont expect the description its a black coat to do anything for you. No. Wait until the end of the night to claim your coat and dont lose your ticket again. BOTTLE bar - the clue is in the name, people! To any of you who like screaming my name and waving frantically, like were friends, because you want to get served before anyone else, hmmm. I have a method for dealing with people like you: I turn around, with an ecstatic look on my face (Im really happy to see you), smile and wave frantically back, and then walk off. The satisfaction - I cant describe it. Wait your turn. Rant done. Im only telling you this for your own good, looking out for your welfare anall. Im not a moany mare all the time; its just that some customers need to think more and it just really grinds my gears!
his GMGs is more angry than funny (if any of the other previous ones could be described as funny). Im not gonna lie, I could
but dont know what they want when its their turn to order: idiots. Speaking of waiting, can I just say that were not intentionally trying to punish you (most of the time), sometimes we honestly dont realise that youre next, but clicking your fingers could see you waiting at the bar for longer than the person who came along 10 minutes after you. Obviously, I wouldnt do this because Im professional. Oh yeah, toilets: what the HELL are you doing in there over the course of the evening ladies?! Those of you who think you can get free entry into Rubix when Im working at box office; this especially goes out to the guys who try and wink their way to a free ticket. Its not gonna work, it hasnt worked yet, but try the challenge
Stacey Hunter
robson magalhaes
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s one of the least sporty people in the world, I have no interest what so ever in taking part in some sort of sports event. I am so unsporty that one of my friends only believed that I had cycled around Hyde Park after seeing photographic evidence. So why on Earth would I ever be writing about the Olympics?! Stella McCartney. Thats why. Ever since she graduated from Central Saint Martins in 1995, this designer daughter of Sir Paul McCartney has had fashion success of Olympic proportions (see what I did there?) Just 2 years after finishing, she became Creative Director of Chlo, a massive achievement in itself, but to take over from Karl Lagerfeld?! Woah. Just woah. She had some big (and fabulous) shoes to fill. And her obvious talent doesnt stop there; McCartney has built her entire design empire without using fur or leather and yet remains at the top of the mighty tower of fashion. So the fashion industry loves her, PETA loves her (I presume) and animals really love her, but does the British sporting world, and the British public, love her f o r her Olympic
kit design? Ermmsorta. The design by McCartney for Adidas is based around the Union Jack, and the re-styling of the iconic flag hasnt been welcomed by all. There is a notable lack of red within the design, with the flag print being made up of different shades of blue, and collars and socks taking responsibility for the red. Images of the kits have been put up on the Team GB Facebook page, and whilst there are a lot of negative comments, there are some positives too. Personally, Im not a massive fan of it. I understand the restyling, showing that Great Britain is fresh and up to date, not stuck in the past...however Britain is Britain, we need our red back! STELLA, WHERE IS OUR RED?! But please, please, please do not judge Stella McCartney on this kit. Each season, she sends new and inspiring looks down the runway of her shows, whether its structure, texture, colour or print, McCartney can do it. Ask her to do a romantic look? No problemo, spring 2004. Tailoring? Spring 2006. Androgyny? Fall 2010. With such an obviously talented designer falling a bit short on the design for the Olympic kit, it leaves me wondering, can fashion and sport actually mix? If they cant, then thats my new excuse for never doing sport.
urban don
t is not uncommon to hear the phrase ah, the good old days, voiced among older generations overcome with nostalgia as they lament dusty memories, when children could play safely outside and families ate dinner at a table, absent of phones ringing or televisions blaring. It is inevitable that people look back to their own eras with fond memories, reminiscing the best music, television, fashion and general ways of life. So, what will we remember about our culture? Arguably, the most dominant parts of culture develop following influences from the media. Television culture of today offers a vast number of programmes thanks to digital and satellite switchovers. Consequently, the last decade has brought many new faces of younger generations to our screens. The Only Way is Essex, The Inbetweeners and Skins have certainly made their mark, producing new celebrities and highlighting cultures which were perhaps previously misunderstood. Meanwhile, many of us have found ourselves singing away to High School Musical and Glee. Of course, one could not forget to mention the importance of the nations favourite sarcastic narrator on Come Dine with Me and admit to watching back to back episodes on Dave during a lazy Sunday afternoon. There are other celebrities who have risen to great fame during our era. Figures s u c h as Kim
Kardashian and Louie Spence seem to have simply sprung up from nowhere. There are also less obvious aspects of our culture which are such a regular part to our everyday lives that we dont even realise their prominence. For instance, comparison websites producing the loveable Meerkats and the catchy Go Compare song which becomes rather torturous during a Saturday evening of the X Factor, as it is repeatedly drummed into our heads. There are many other television adverts which largely impact our lives. Have you recently had an accident or injury at work which wasnt your fault? Have you considered compensation? Following the latest health concerns, theres now an abundance of adverts supporting products which can lower your cholesterol and boost your Omega 3! And thank goodness for Best of Both bread; we can still have the great taste of white bread but with the goodness of wholemeal. Advert breaks are otherwise dominated by ways to help us save money in the tough economic climate; Feed your family for a fiver, Marks and Spencer dine in for 10. Meanwhile, as we wait for our Caramelised Onion and Goats Cheese tarts or Moroccan Cous Cous to cook (the retro days of chicken Kievs and Walnut Salad having passed), many of us have a quick game of Angry Birds and then tweet our latest scores because, of course, everyone cares. Following dinner, we turn to our Kindles for a spot of reading or to our iPads for internet shopping Primark anyone? The next morning we awake to find the joys of being able to make fancy coffees thanks to posh
coffee machines for the home. Now we can have cappuccinos with extra froth, hazelnut lattes and caramel mochas until our hearts are content. If we dont have time to make one at home, theres no panic as the local Starbucks is never far away. We wait for our Tesco delivery to arrive or struggle around the store, get to the till and cry Oh no - I left my bags in the car! Our culture has seen the mighty Bag for Life conquer the carrier. And then we head to the gym for a spot of Zumba. Guys load up on protein shakes and women focus on the complex mathematics involved in calorie counting so they can calculate if that caramel macchiato prevents them from enjoying a delicately iced cupcake later. Speaking of which, has anyone noticed the sheer number of women entering the homemade cupcake market lately? Their beautiful designs and dreamy icing certainly shows the jam doughnut and Belgian bun their place! Its Saturday afternoon so we all head to Ikea and fill big, blue bags (baskets are so yesterday) with random kitchen accessories invented for no reason. The Ikea, coloured ice cube trays have brought ice cubes in the shapes of arrows, hearts, stars, cats, dogs to our freezers. As you continue your hectic day (life is so busy these days), take a moment to consider the part of todays culture which you will nostalgically be lamenting to your grandchildren in the future. In the meantime, Ill leave you with a tweet only we can relate to: The awkward moment when you change your Facebook status to single and your ex likes it.
12 FEATURES
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Rule Britannia?
By Rebecca Worley, features Team
Many students are probably, by now, confusing their maintenance loan with a winning lottery ticket...
Give me my money!
By Nicole Vassell, Features Editor
y the time this goes to print, most of us will hopefully have a much prettier looking current account. That text from Student Finance England consisting of ten beautiful words creates a feeling of joy throughout the student community like no other: Your student finance will be paid into your bank tomorrow. Finally! I thought, rubbing my hands with glee. Now I can buy some new day shoes unfortunately, Id managed to leave all my shoes without holes at my permanent home over Easter, and getting soaking wet socks every time I ventured outside was becoming a drag. Saying that, I also need a new umbrellaand maybe some wellies. You know what? Why not treat yourself, Nicole - a new dress? Ooh, and finally I can get those festival tickets! Oh, I should put some aside for a lastminute holiday this summer too Before the money was even safely into my account, Id made big plans for my incoming funds and went to bed with dreams of rolling around in scattered 20 notes. Clearly, Id confused student maintenance loan with EuroMillions win, because after Id thought rationally and sectioned off the money I needed for rent and bills, I could just about afford to upgrade from Tesco Value products to their basic stores own brand. How about your overdraft? Im asked. Yet, for someone who only receives enough to keep their landlady happy, the overdraft ship has long ago sailed. So for me, the student loan joy only really lasted for more than a few hours back when I was a fresher without rent to pay over the summer. But while there are many students in a similarly annoying position to mine, I know
that before long, a large percentage of us still end up wondering where their money has vanished to. So, heres a small collection of tips to remember that might help you hold onto your student loan for as long as possible.
expenditure.
1. Get strict
The impulse to give yourself a little treat after receiving some money is incredibly common: ever noticed how many mini-sales and store promotions start at the end or the beginning of the month? Its no coincidence that its so close to payday. Im particularly partial to something I dont exactly need, but want and then that spills over into having two drinks with dinner, instead of the usual half pint of coke (with no ice, thank you). And then, maybe a dessert? Oh, what the hell two desserts! No. Stop. Set a limit, be that number of days or an amount of money, for a treat allowance...and then stop. By being greedy with self-gifting ourselves, we end up living like royalty for two weeks maximum, before spending the rest of the term literally counting the pennies.
hat makes Britain British? Our national identity is in flux. With a country so racially, culturally, religiously and ideologically diverse, is there any one way to define being British? There are the obvious answers of living here or being born here, but these dont really define a national identity in any way. The laughable stereotypes still linger of course: the stately home owner dressed entirely in tweed who loves nothing more than chasing foxes and lunching on tea and scones. Or, paradoxically, the binge drinking youth culture, proudly bearing ASBOs like Blue Peter badges, setting a shining example of our brilliant nation. Yet these are two perceptions of Britain which the overwhelming majority do not fit into. But then how do you begin to define it? Perhaps religion is a good starting point, although Christianity doesnt unite the country like it used to, with atheism and other religions dramatically affecting the statistics. The monarchy: just a tourist gimmick in some peoples eyes. The thing is, its much more complicated than where you were born or currently live. In fact the things this country used to cherish now mean nothing to
the next generation. Patriotism doesnt really seem to be this countrys thing, especially when compared to the adoring masses of America, eagerly pledging allegiance. Maybe we think were a bit too cool for that. But I do think there are so many things to be proud of in this country, contrary to the gratifying grumbling of no jobs and rainy weather. I think everyone will have their own personal spin on what makes them British, but the country itself has the foundations for these ideas to be built upon: the NHS, the BBC, free education for all, regardless of economic background or gender. Without that very education you wouldnt be able to form an opinion on the issue, let alone read this. Very soon the Olympics will be kicking off, starting a wave of tourism rippling across Great Britain. Although many people remain uninterested, 68.5% in a recent survey, perhaps the events will spark a sense of pride in our country once again, as people celebrate a common interest in backing our Olympians. Well hopefully. But then again, conversations are more likely to be dominated by: these bloody Olympics, cant go anywhere without being stuck in traffic...
4. No YOLO
If youre not aware of this phrase, count yourself lucky. Popularised by Canadian rapper Drake, it stands for You Only Live Once, a motto that has been adopted by hundreds of thousands of young people around the world, taken to live life as carefree as possible, without regret. Its an inspiration to spend what we want and think about the consequences later. The major problem with this is that, unlike Drake, many of us arent also sitting on twenty-five mill in my case, its usually just about twenty-five pounds. The mentality that life is for doing whatever you want despite what Natwest/ Santander/(insert your bank here) tells you just isnt compatible with the majority of students lifestyles, so forget it! Being rigid with money is something thats drilled into us from a young age, but if theres ever a time to listen to the logic of our grandparents, its right now: the next time student loan comes in isnt until late September, so its either time to tighten the purse strings, or buy a truckload of lottery tickets...
lisa brewster
EY
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would like to share my story to give hope to those who are hopeless. I am in my 30s. I have 5 brothers and I am the only girl. I found out when I was 15 that my dad was on heroin. It was a massive shock at the time and it really upset me. I am an emotional person anyway. My dad carried on injecting heroin and also started smoking crack cocaine. My mum and dad split up. I went to live with my mum and younger brothers. My mum at this time had started going out partying on the Madchester music scene taking ectasy. I would be left babysitting for my younger brothers a lot. My mum then met a new man who was heavily into selling and taking drugs. After about 3 months of seeing her new man she too started smoking crack cocaine. My mum would spend a lot of the time at her new mans house and I would run the family home taking my younger brothers to and from school. Life went from bad to worse. My dad kept on getting ill with his weight affecting his heart and breathing as a result of the drugs. He died of a heart attack when I was 20. After a while she got caught
and was expecting to go to jail. My mums brothers and sisters had temporarily taken on looking after my younger brothers. I then agreed that I would look after my younger brothers temporarily whilst my mum went to jail. I ended up getting a house of the council for us all to live in. We have remained a tight unit even though we have had our tough times and I think this is how we have managed to get through it all as we have each other. At times I dont know how I have managed to cope with everything life has thrown at me. I recently suffered with depressionI think a build up of all the years of stress!! I have this determination in me not to be like my mum or dad and make something of myself and my life! At the time I was constantly asking questions like why me? You feel unworthy like you are almost the drug addict. You have to remember that it isnt you who is addicted to drugs and you too can have a successful life and deserve it as much as the next person. This is only a summary of my story. There are many stories within my story.
Sarah is a volunteer mentor for Children of Addicted Parents and People (COAP), a website for young people affected by a family members addiction to drugs, alcohol or some form of addictive behaviour such as gambling. We plan to hold a talk at Surrey University. Check out our website to get involved: www.coap.org.uk.
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HEARTSOULSURREY
HEART+SOUL
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The words to find are: IGAlA MAlARIA BACKlINE MUPPETS STAlIN MARIO BUS KONY flEAS
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Wireless charging
By Alex Smith, Science & Tech Team
n September 1882, Thomas Edison turned on his first power station, supplying 110 volts of direct current to 59 customers in Manhattan. Jump forward 130 years and we now see humanity approaching the advent of a new way of powering our technology. Wireless power has been around for a few years, however it hasnt been given much of a domestic life, having instead been confined to research labs and left to the (affectionately named) boffins to tweak with. In 2010 a common standard between manufacturers was agreed for wireless charging in mobile devices and is slowly becoming more commonplace. Powermats are already being sold in the UK and are able to charge
launching a precommercial trial for up to 50 vehicles and 13 wireless charging points around the capital in 2012, and already companies are looking into embedding this technology in the roads and powering your car as you drive.
here is no doubt that the hologram of the late Tupac was very emotive and has clearly captured the imaginations of attending fans. It is tempting to get my geek on and explain how the performance works, but in all honesty, its not that complicated and other writers have already done an excellent job of this. The perceived success though has been due to the surprise element as opposed to the quality of the performance. What I find most interesting is the response of the public it was engaging in a way that has lead most conversations to: what next for the technology? The most popular response seems to be that it was a niche performance that was only useful in the time and place it was enacted. But why would we restrict ourselves to this one off spectacle? The technology has been long in the making and waiting for some time to capture
the lime light. Imagine Live Aid style simultaneous concerts around the world with artists in one location, smaller venues as well as large arenas could carry the performance to your favoured location. Or a call with loved ones with full body interacts. More than just big projectors and screens, it is the chance to be fully drawn in by the experience. If you believe those who tout this technology then that is where were headed, but weve heard that before. Send your thoughts into me at sciencetech@thestagsurrey.co.uk
tomblois
he majority of people, who read this research, will generally dismiss it due to its contradiction to social norms. So while reading, put those prejudgments aside for a few minutes and think. Even if you may not be one of these people, chances are, some of your friends are Last term the LGBT society had a guest speaker, Prof. Eric Anderson, whose research primarily surrounds University level students and their relationship preferences. From interviewing participants Anderson found that although the majority of people, as we concur, start with the aim of pursuing loving monogamous relationships, we cheat. I used to consider just thinking about kissing someone other than my partner cheating and many of my friends, of all genders, would be hurt if they thought that their partners were doing this too. Andersons research focused on understanding why people do this. He suggests that it could be due to social acceptance that we, as individuals, enter into monogamous relationships;
whereas in actual fact our biology directs us more towards nonmonogamy. He goes on to say that about 78% of the young men he interviewed had cheated, but still loved their partners. If this is the case, why do we not want to be open with one another about our sexual or loving desires towards other people? Anderson goes on to suggest that monogamy is an irrational ideal because it fails to fulfil a lifetime of sexual desires. Cheating, therefore, becomes the rational response to an irrational situation. Apart from the social pressures around us to be monogamous, with all films promoting love-triangles where one main character should decide between person A or B; one reason we dont have non-monogamous
relationships is probably, jealousy. We may be happy to have other partners ourselves or tantalize ourselves by thinking about sleeping with someone else, but we wouldnt be happy about our partner having or thinking about hot sex with another person. However, if our partner is happy with someone else as well as us, why shouldnt we be happy for them, if we love them? Polyamorous (multiple deep meaningful loving not purely sexual relationships) and nonmonogamous relationships are becoming more accepted culturally, one of the places this area is becoming more dominant is in psychology, anthropology and sociology research literature.
randomheader
ts not every day that you get to sit down and decide how to spend just short of a billion Euros. However, in early May, member states of the European Space Agency (ESA) will vote on which of the proposed missions ESA will implement. Expect it to be Juicey. After feasibility studies, internal reviews, and now recommendation from the agencys executive, Juice is now the leader of the three-horse race for the first large launch slot for the Cosmic Vision Program setting out ESAs goals for the decade commencing 2015. Juice (the Jupiter Icy Moon Explorer) is a decade long mission which will help describe the conditions necessary for the creation of habitable environments, by studying three icy, oceanbearing moons of Jupiter: Ganymede, Europa and Castello. The solar powered spacecraft will travel until 2030, when it will arrive at the Jovian system and perform a dozen flybys of the moons, sending data back to earth at a minimum rate of 1.4 Gbit/day, before finally putting itself in orbit around Ganymede
until 2033 for the remainder of the mission. The other projects, expected to be dropped, are Athena (the wouldhavebeen largest Xray observatory, designed to map black holes and other large stellar structures) and NGO (a trio of spacecrafts designed to observe gravitational waves) despite being described as having a high potential for ground-breaking new science by ESAs Astronomy Working Group. After analysis it was deemed that Juice was the best value for money, has a good operational lifespan, uses technology which is already available and is a project which can be delivered earliest; making it the most reliable and desirable mission of the three. The biggest challenge would be overcoming the radiation experienced around Jupiter (which is still no more than a communications satellite would receive hence why this is a minimal risk investment for the agency). If the Space Policy Committee follows advice and votes for Juice, we can expect Europes newest flagship space mission to realistically launch as early as June 2022.
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f you thought that DNA or its sister molecule, RNA, were the only means of storing genetic information-think again! A team of researchers at Cambridge University have successfully created synthetic alternatives called xeno-nucleic acids (XNAs) which can not only store genetic information- but are almost as capable of evolving. Picture it: a spiralling ladder-with each step a sugar bound to a molecule in the middle called a base (one to each sugar) and you have envisaged the very basic structure of DNA. The base can be one of four different molecules, represented by the letters A, C, T and G. RNA is similar but bears some important differences, being single as opposed to double stranded and having
U instead of T as a base. However, it was not so much the bases that the researchers were interested in -but the sugar element. By replacing the sugar with other alternatives, they managed to produce six different XNAs. To test whether or not XNAs were capable of evolving, the team presented various XNAs with a survival challenge: they were to bind to one of two target molecules (a protein and a molecule RNA) or be washed away. Those that stuck were replicated and given the same treatment again. With each test, variations in the genetic code led to XNAs that were increasingly adept at binding the targets. They displayed a capacity for change, such as we might see with DNA or RNA. There is much to be done before it is possible to create the first XNAbased synthetic life form. So far, the
team have managed to replicate XNA by converting it back to DNA for use as a template, but have not yet found a way of doing so without using DNA as an intermediate. Nonetheless, the implications are vast. The sugars seen in RNA or DNA are both relatively complex, so it is quite possible that simpler alternatives like certain XNAs came first in the evolution of life on Earth, some scientists believe. Crucially though, as Dr. Phillip Holliger of the UK Medical Research Councils Molecular Biology Laboratory explains; the research shows that heredityinformation storage and propagationand evolutiontwo hallmarks of life can be reproduced and implemented in alternative polymers other than DNA and RNA. If there is life beyond Earth, who knows what it might use instead!
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The explosive cast in one of their musical dance numbers By Emily Bourne, Dance & Theatre Team Benny Southstreet were really funny as a duo, which was highlighted all the more by the height difference between the two actors. However, it was unfortunate that the audience took some time to warm up to the comedy at the beginning of the show, which could perhaps have been improved upon by speeding up the dialogue. I particularly enjoyed the dancing throughout the show, especially the choreography for the famous number Luck be a Lady, while the dancing in Havana was key to setting the scene of a light-hearted and sexy atmosphere. My only criticism would be that it was a shame that the script did not allow for a wider range of main parts in order to show off the talent of the cast more fully! Alongside the performance of the actors, the set looked fantastic and really enhanced the atmosphere of each scene, while the costume and make-up looked authentic, all of which added the final touches to a very professional production. Guys and Dolls acted as a great contrast to last years production of the more contemporary Rent, both of which have really highlighted the wide variety of talent that the members possess as a society. Although currently a young society within the university, they continue to grow in both size and ambition every year, and it seems to be paying off as theyre making a firm footprint on Guildfords amateur dramatic scene.
pon walking into the main hall I was not at all surprised to see the room near-bursting at the seams with friends and family waiting to catch the final performance of this years production by Musical Theatre Society, Guys and Dolls. Directed by second-year theatre studies student Lauren Walsh, Guys and Dolls follows the story of Nathan Detroit, a New York gambler under pressure to organise a crap game while being watched by the cops. By chance he meets acquaintance Sky Masterson, with whom he places a bet of one thousand dollars that he cannot take Sergeant Sarah Brown on a date with him to Havana. Meanwhile back in New York, Nathans own girlfriend Miss Adelaide is trying to persuade him to marry her after a fourteen-year-long engagement, but he is more concerned with finding a location for the evenings gambling to take place. The cast succeeded in giving a really strong performance, and all of the solo singers were incredibly talented, particularly the four main characters who led the performance. The relationships between the two couples were well developed and emotion was clearly portrayed through the vocals and expression during each number. In addition, Nicely-Nicely Johnson and
Daniel Friar
ast Sunday 18th March at the Guildford Odeon, I found myself in a curious position indeed. There I was, expectantly sitting in a cinema seat to view a stage play. More specifically, I had attended to see a special screening of the New York Philharmonics concert production of Stephen Sondheims Company from April of last year. First produced in 1970 on Broadway, this musical comedy centres on the protagonist, a New Yorker called Robert who has just turned thirty-five, and his experiences with his friends in a series of vignettes exploring the nature of relationships. Although hardly a new concept, with the economic
climate of recent years considered, the notion of being able to view stage productions by paying only the standard fare for a cinema ticket has become particularly attractive. Despite understanding the logic, I could not help but wonder whether a cinema screen could adequately convey that special atmosphere one associates with physical presence. As it happens, my concerns were swiftly put to rest. Through the speakers I could feel the orchestra and actors come to life, to the point that I found it difficult to restrain my clapping between numbers. The production stars Neil Patrick Harris of How I Met Your Mother fame in the lead role, whilst the rest of the cast is bolstered by such figures as stage legend Patti luPone and
political satirist Stephen Colbert. Despite the high bar set by the original production, the cast were able to prove their worth. Standout performances include Anika Noni Roses Another Hundred People as the eccentric, New York-loving Marta and Patti LuPone bringing her grit to the wonderfully biting The Ladies Who Lunch. Whilst he lacks the vocal gravity of such previous Roberts as Dean Jones, Larry Kert and Raul Esparza, Harris comedic style is unsurprisingly a perfect fit and it is difficult to not be touched as he comes to the tearful climax of Being Alive. All in all, the screening provided an appreciable means of seeing a beloved show. For all those interested in theatre, I would certainly recommend this alternative means of experiencing the stage.
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alletBoyz latest work is full of their usual muscular, athletic dancing and skilled technique. However, The Talent does not contain much of the original and exciting choreography I have come to associate with the company. Consisting of three separate works, one could argue it has something for everyone, but at times it seemed somewhat bland and lacking in action. The first work involves little connection between the dancers and uses simple movement and lighting to highlight the dancers as they slide, roll and jump across the floor. The choreography is performed with unfaltering technique; however, it is based around fairly standard contemporary dance movements and does not show much innovation. Section two on the other hand is a beautiful entanglement of soft, smoky lighting, delicate costumes and sensitive, powerful dance. Set to a slightly melancholic acoustic accompaniment by talented musician Keaton Henson, the movements gracefully flow from one into the next with
gentle ease. The dancers support and lift each other; a stand out jump involves the whole group throwing one dancer high into the air where he spins several times before falling gently downwards into their bed of arms. After the interval, a rather long video projection of the rough streets of London is shown to the audience; it continues to run as the dancers enter the stage, creating an effective backdrop consisting of a dark street with the occasional bus driving past. The thuggish dancers impressively throw themselves across the floor and aggressively jump on each others shoulders. This street leitmotif usually reserved for hip-hop pieces is reworked by BalletBoyz to some extent, but unfortunately the theme is too familiar for it to be really exciting. Ex Royal Ballet dancers Michael Nunn and William Trevitt have created an accessible work with spectacular jumps and at times wonderful imagery. Its obvious why the work is called The Talent, but unfortunately it lacks the inspired choreography needed to make it a truly stand-out production.
Fame or Finesse?
By Tiffany Stoneman, Dance & Theatre Team
raduating students from the Musical Theatre degree course perform an entertaining selection of scenes and songs. These shows are also performed in London to members of the profession. GSA Musical Theatre 2012 Showcase Directed by: Michael Vivian When: Wednesday 9th May, 17.00 & 20.00 Where: Ivy Arts Centre, University of Surrey, Guildford, GU2 7XH How much? 10, 9 concessions www.surrey.ac.uk/arts/theatre
raduating students from the Acting degree course perform an entertaining selection of scenes and songs. These shows are also performed in London to members of the profession. GSA Acting 2012 Showcase Directed by: Dan Coleman When: Monday 14 May, 17.00 & 20.00 Where: Ivy Arts Centre, University of Surrey, Guildford, GU2 7XH How much? 10, 9 concessions www.surrey.ac.uk/arts/theatre
few weeks ago, I went to see Edward Bonds Bingo at the Young Vic theatre, starring Sir Patrick Stewart as Shakespeare himself in this tale of the bards last few years back in his home. It goes without saying that watching Stewart from the front row was mesmerising. A phenomenal actor, he delivered a ten-minute monologue lying down whilst keeping his audience enthralled - a force to be reckoned with. Returning to his native accent too, Stewart was comfortable in the part, not overplaying Shakespeare as a bitter and tired old man. However, I found Bonds play to be somewhat dry. The language, though true to the time as Shakespeare himself wrote, was nothing extraordinary, and the plot itself seemed to amble along like so many others. Similar to Lark Rise to Candleford (Richmond
T h e a t r e 2010), it had a sense of nostalgia that didnt give the audience any particular energy. Of the cast who stood out, Ellie Haddington played the simple, kind-hearted maid and Ive no qualms in saying that she
...had Patrick Stewart not been starring, would I have gone to see it?
occasionally outshone Stewart. Comical but deeply sensitive, Haddingtons final scene was the most moving moment of the play. Yet others seem to ride on the audience response to Stewart, muddling accents and delivering lines to show him off rather than live in the words. This made me think had Patrick Stewart not been starring, would I have gone to see it? Im ashamed to answer No the story wasnt interesting,
and nothing drew me to such a play aside from its famous face. Could it be said, therefore, that the play was only produced with a celebrity in mind for the lead character? This method has been used since Shakespeares day plays featuring hot actors of the time such as Richard Burbage sold better than those with only unknowns on stage. I wonder if this is a good strategy it is true that because of their leading man, the audience was diverse and contained more Trekkies and X-Men than most, but I am not sure that theatre should ride on the name of an actor in this way. Bonds plays should be produced so they bring his writing to life regardless of the actors. Its something to take into consideration next time you head to the theatre are you going for the playwright and the imagined world, or the star in the limelight?
Hugo Glendinning
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Hit play Matilda among the big winners at The Olivier Awards
By Hannah Jelliman, Dance & Theatre Editor
his Easter, the world famous Olivier Awards highlighted some of the fantastic talent currently in the Dance, Theatre and Musical Theatre worlds. Britains answer to the renowned Tony Awards of America, the Olivier Awards celebrates everything that is great about the current Professional Arts scene. By far the highest achiever this year is the newly opened Matilda the Musical, snapping up a staggering seven awards including Best Set Design, Best Theatre Choreographer and Best New Musical. The musical is a recreation of the much-loved Roald Dahl classic, reworked for the stage by Dennis Kelly and comedian Tim Minchin. The four young girls, who share the role of Matilda, won a joint award of Best Actress in a Musical, breaking the Olivier record for the youngest person ever to win an award. Other Musical Theatre wins include Crazy for You with Best Musical Revival, Les Miserable winning the BBC Radio 2 Olivier Audience Award and Nigel Harman, achieving the Best Performance in a Supporting Role in a Musical for his display as Lord Farquaad in Shrek the Musical. Winners of theatre-based awards were far more varied; Collaborators
at the Cottlesloe Theatre winning MasterCard Best New Play and Sheridan Smith winning Best Performance in a Supporting Role for her performance in Flare Path to name a few. Benedict Cumberbatch, winner of a Critics Choice Award earlier this year, won a joint Best Actor award with Jonny Lee Miller for Frankenstein at the Olivier Theatre. English National Opera also won a high-class award: Outstanding Achievement in Opera for the breadth and diversity of its artistic programme. Although there are only two Dance-centred awards available, both are highly commendable. Akram Khan continues his winning streak with Best New Dance Production for his latest solo work Desh, and Edward Watson receives the Outstanding Achievement in Dance for his performance in The Metamorphosis at the Linbury Studio. From a more commercial stance, the Best Entertainment and Family award was presented to famous mind-tricker, magician and deceptionist Derren Brown for his latest show Svengali at the Shaftsbury Theatre. Special awards were presented to lyricist Tim Rice and Royal Ballet star Dame Monica Mason for their outstanding careers to date.
For full details and lists of this years winners visit http://www.olivierawards.com/
Nuno Santos
Jellimans Gems
Choreography is simpler than you think. Just go and do, and dont think so much about it. Just make something interesting. - George Balanchine
acebook, Twitter, dating sites, personalised avatars we barely even need a physical personality these days with all of the socially focused websites available. LOL (Lots of Love) by Luca Silvestrinis Protein Dance, performed at the Ivy Arts Centre, Guildford on 14th March 2012, seeks to explore how these online social networks are affecting our behaviour and ability to socialise, as well as how they are helping (or hindering) many peoples search for love. Through both Dance and Drama, the six dancers (three male, three female) adopt various characters to portray a series of different scenarios one might find themselves in when on a social networking website. Speech is used throughout to aid the mini-stories, which the dancers employ with ease amongst the often frantic movement. Kip Johnson particularly stands out, with his ability to carry on speaking seamlessly about an unfortunate online incident, being mistaken as homosexual, whilst Stuart Waters throws himself from all angles and violently manipulates Johnson around the stage. Issues of sexuality and sexual desire are prominent throughout, with an emphasis
on how people can sell themselves as something completely different to their actual personality through dating websites, particularly with females exploiting themselves for male desire. Sally Marie gives a hilarious performance as an incredibly desperate woman, who develops an online obsession with a man named Jeff after he replies to her message on a dating site. She sends constant emails, asking if hes there, assuming he must be on holiday due to his lack of reply and eventually breaking down when he has not replied for a while. Maries character emphasises the scarily fanatical behaviour that social media often provokes. Due to its immediate nature and the ability of access almost everywhere we go, over-thinking is terrifyingly common, with many thinking the absolute worst if a reply is not received in a matter of seconds. Overall, despite several somewhat sexist themes, LOL is an entertaining depiction of the realities of the internet and social networks, highlighting the unnatural behaviour forced upon us. The many scenarios are meritoriously performed, providing a comical, yet scarily truthful insight into the actualities of this ever-growing technological side of twenty-first century lifestyles.
Richard Haughton
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Film
ased on a true story, this film brings to life a memoir by Benjamin Mee that will appeal to a whole range of audiences, from animal-lovers to drama fans. Benjamin Mee (played by Matt Damon) is a young widowed father whose 14-year-old son, Dylan (Colin Ford) in particular, is finding it very difficult to come to terms with the recent death of his mother. Dylans poor behaviour results in him being expelled from school and Benjamin then decides that the whole family are in need of a fresh start. The estate agent shows the young father and his 7-year-old daughter, Rosie (Maggie Elizabeth Jones), a property that they both immediately fall in love with, but theres a catch which the estate agent is rather reluctant to reveal the property is part of a zoo! Despite knowing nothing about animal care, Benjamin steps up to the challenge, much to Rosies delight but to Dylans horror. The zoo has been closed for many
months but with the help of head zookeeper, Kelly (Scarlett Johansson), and her hardworking team, the zoo finally passes the inspection and is deemed fit to be reopened. At times it seems that the grand reopening will never materialise; when Benjamin finds himself in financial difficulties the future looks bleak, but they are fortunately remedied by his discovering of an investment account that his late wife had set up prior to her death. To make matters worse, the night before there is a huge rainstorm which causes a tree to fall, blocking the zoos entrance, but that still does not prevent the day from being a great success. The scene where the employees help all the visitors over the fallen tree is a particularly memorable moment. This heart-warming story eventually brings together a shattered family who have had to deal which something no family should ever have to experience. The ending suggests that there is still hope for them and a happier future lies ahead.
know that seemingly every person who has seen The Hunger Games absolutely loved it. I will say from now that I was not one of those people. I certainly didnt hate it, and it didnt bore me to death, but all the while I was waiting for that special moment, that key scene, to make me just as excited as everyone else seemed to be. Facebook status after Facebook status read The Hunger Games is amazing! or Just watched the Hunger Games and it was the best film I have watched in a long time! Everyone should go and watch it now! You can imagine my excitement, right? The film failed to live up to these amazing reviews, and in my opinion, 142 minutes just isnt enough to fully capture the drama and excitement of Suzanne Collins book series, The Hunger Games. The film is set in a dystopian future, where the nation of Panem is divided into different districts. Two young representatives are selected each year to participate in The Hunger Games, a deadly competition to survive, whilst eliminating other competitors from other districts. Meanwhile, the citizens of Panem watch the dramatic events unfold from their homes. The main
character Katniss is strong, independent and volunteers to participate to potentially save the life of her younger timid sister. Along with Peeta, her male partner, they partake in the traitorous journey for survival and each participant has their loyalty and strength put to the test. I hate to give away the ending by revealing what happens, but in order for me to explain my core conflict with the film it is necessary. Throughout, there is such a big build-up of tension surrounding who will survive, and it all seems to draw to a climax which, in my opinion, seems rather flat. In the ending scene, the remaining hopefuls are being chased by giant, mutated dogs. There is then an announcement which
tells Katniss and Peeta that there can no longer be two winners, followed by Katniss honourable decision that they should die together rather than having to battle against each other. It happens all too quickly! I also believe that the idea of all these young teenagers running around killing each other is in reality a much more horrifying concept than the film lets on. Yes, it is emotional and sad when Rue from district 11 is killed, but other than that instance, the murders and fight scenes were all too glamourized and sugarcoated to be convincing. Director Gary Ross does do a good job, but I believe the film had much more potential.
f youre a lover of all things Japanese, have visited Japan, or even had the luck of going to the annual Hyper Japan convention in Earls Court, then you may have heard of the wonderfully eccentric street fashion: Lolita. To keep those of you who havent heard of this fashion up to speed, Lolita has no connotations with Vladimir Nabokovs novel Lolita, which concerns a paedophilic relationship. Instead, the word Lolita is used in this sense to refer to the childlike nature of the clothing, as this style is heavily influenced by clothing worn by young girls in the Victorian and Rococo periods (unsurprisingly, Alice in
Wonderland is considered a key fashion influence for lolitas). Although Lolita has become relatively popular internationally, very few films have been made that focus on the fashion rather than the periods that influenced it. However, in 2004, it all changed when Tetsuya Nakashima adapted Nobara Takemotos light novel Kamikaze Girls into a film. The plot focuses around Momoko (Kyko Fukada), a 17-year old Lolita who wishes she was living in the Rococo period of 18th Century France rather than modern day Japan. Desperate to make some money to pay for her purchases from Baby, The Stars Shine Bright, a Lolita clothes shop she visits on a regular basis, Momoko
tries selling bootleg Ver*ace and Uni*ersal Studios clothes left over from her Dads yakuza (gangster) days. However, when punk girl Ichiko comes calling, her fantasy life is quickly brought to a halt particularly when the unlikely pair become friends. Although the plot is very similar to other unlikely bond stories, I think what makes Kamikaze Girls stand out is the films style. With its use of animated sequences, zany high-speed editing and its eccentric sense of humour, the film encapsulates a small slice of the crazy, cutesy, colourfulness of Japanese pop-culture; not to mention being the first film to take a look at modern day Lolita.
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conventions; it takes the bare elements which make up a fright flick and turns them on their heads to create a film of entertainment and plenty of laugh-outloud moments. The characters are cleverly chosen to fit the ultimate horror film stereotype, and we all know the categories by now! Theres the oversexual whore, the handsome jock, clever but sensitive nerdy guy and the innocent virgin. All of the characters set off to have a jolly good time of flirting and frolicking in a relatives cabin, in a wood which is conveniently miles away from civilisation. We all know what happens next, but rather than a boring killingspree, the classic conventions of horror films are used cleverly to make this film something entirely different and original. The Cabin in the Woods breaks all the rules, and thats what makes it so refreshing! Director Drew Goddard has
certainly had plenty of experience: with Buffy, Angel and Lost all under his belt, as well as writing Cloverfield, we shouldnt have expected anything other than brilliance. Its difficult to write a convincing review without giving away the fundamental storyline. This is where I believe the trailer failed. In showing glimpses of the institution which seeks to strategically eliminate each character one after the other, viewers already know that something is up. After watching the trailer, I knew what to expect. Perhaps a little more secrecy from the trailer would have made the film more unexpected and hilarious. Aside from this, I would highly recommend watching this on the big screen. The Cabin in the Woods is well worth the money and a satisfying 95 minute escape from reality.
ver the course of the Easter holidays, whilst taking breaks from my hefty load of coursework, I took the opportunity to delve into different treasures from my nostalgic film collection; ones I adored so much from childhood that I find myself feeling as curious and willing to suspend disbelief as much as I did back then. Although I find it difficult to pinpoint my favourite childrens film as my favourite film of all time, there was one in particular that felt like a hidden gem to me. That is undoubtedly Alfonso Cuarns A Little Princess (1995). Loosely based upon the 1905 novel of the same name by Frances Hodgson Burnett, the film centres around Sara
(portrayed by the beautiful Liesel Matthews), a young girl brought up in exotic India with her father (Liam Cunningham). However, after being enlisted to fight for the British in World War I, he enrols her at a seminary for girls in New York, the same one Saras late mother attended. Sara instantly becomes a favourite amongst the seminary girls due to her love for make-believe and storytelling. However, this does not bode well with their strict headmistress, Miss Minchin (Eleanor Bron), who disapproves of Saras uncontrollable creativity and sense of selfworth. When word comes that her father was killed in battle, Saras life takes an abrupt, dramatic turn for the worst. Due to poor promotion by Warner Bros, the film was a box office failure and hardly made
back half of its $17 million budget. However, despite not receiving the exhibitory attention it deserved, the film was critically acclaimed and still maintains a 97% Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with the consensus, Alfonso Cuarn adapts Frances Hodgson Burnetts novel with a keen sense of magic realism, vividly recreating the world of childhood as seen through the characters. Therefore, regardless of your age, I highly recommend watching Alfonso Cuarns adaptation of this classic novel. It serves, just like any film youd consider a childhood favourite, as a beautiful audio-visual portal back into the joyous, whimsical world of childhood, which is never as far away as we imagine it to be.
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Literature
ecent reports have stated that hundreds of primary schools are failing to achieve the expected level needed in the end of year SATS exams, with the total of 100,000 pupils to attain at least a level-four grade. With one in five adults lacking the necessary ability to read and write, surely schools should be pushing their students to achieve above and beyond the benchmark grade of level-four. The head of Ofsted, Sir Michael Wilshaw, believes this is essential for he stated last year 45% of those pupils who reached level 4c ... did not achieve a grade C in their GCSE English exams which for an ever-expanding nation can lead to great problems. The World Literacy Foundation states that an estimated total of 81.312 billion is lost to the UK economy each year due to the vast amount of adults who are functionally illiterate. Functionally illiterate meaning that many people cannot accomplish basic but essential tasks such as filling out a job application, working out the correct change at a supermarket or
even reading a medicine label. Therefore, this could ultimately lead to an increase in crime, poverty and bad health. In order to make a change, a head-teacher from a successful school in London believes that high expectations are what is needed. The school concentrates on encouraging their pupils to take a greater interest in reading and enjoying books which has been seen to be working and making a difference. It seems that other schools are now following suit, seen from the activity that took place on the 26th of March. At 10 am on this day, two-thousand children broke records by taking part in the worlds biggest reading lesson. Schools from all across London took part and were taught the same half-hour lesson, using childrens author Michael Morpurgos book Born to Run. This event, held by the Evening Standards Get London Reading campaign, is a huge step forward into helping to decrease the number of illiterate adults in the future, and will hopefully increase the amount of young people who have a love for reading great books.
or many writers, particular time periods or ethno-political events in history hold a certain point of interest. For Liam Murray Bell, a much loved PhD student at the University of Surrey, the interest lies in the Troubles of Northern Ireland. Though he was born in Orkney, Bell grew up in Glasgow, returning to Ireland to study his degree in English Literature with Creative Writing in Belfast, where the seed for his fascination with the regions more recent past was perhaps planted. His debut novel, So It Is, out in June, looks at the events of the period with fresh eyes. Having spent the past three years researching the role of women in the conflict, Bell incorporates this into his writing, namely via the female perspective. Described as a literary thriller as well as a coming of age tale, the fictitious account of two females through a time of violence and conflict will no doubt appeal to many readers.
To celebrate the launch of So It Is, Appleseed is hosting an evening featuring readings from English Literature/ Creative Writing students and Liam Murray Bell himself. Taking place on Thursday 24th May from 6pm-8pm, the event is open to all. See you there!
he 1954 novel I Am Legend by Richard Matheson has recently bested all other competition to win the one-off Bram Stoker prize to become named as the vampire novel of the century. The Horror Writers Association, along with the Stoker family themselves, awarded this prize to mark the centenary of Bram Stokers death: author of Dracula, the original vampire thriller. fans of modern vampire fiction may well be in disagreement, as both the Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer and Interview with a Vampire by Anne Rice were in the running but to no avail. The novel, on which the 2007 film was loosely based, features a dystopian Los
Angeles in which vampires haunt the streets. The narrative follows one man in his lonely desperation, trying to survive on his own. This novel lacks the teenage romance and pent-up sexuality of many vampiric novels, old and new, and brings to life a psychological thriller with a more serious edge. Although recent vampire novels have been extremely popular, it can definitely be argued that they lack the intensity to actually incite a sense of horror within a reader. By achieving this it would seem that I Am Legend certainly stands above other vampire novels and deserves admiration from a modern audience. And anyway, a film so accomplished could only have been inspired by brilliant prose.
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genres and that she would create the best work in whatever medium. Its this sort of attitude that makes her difficult to like, but one has to admire her bravery. Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit was brave in terms of its boldness. Weaving fact (the protagonist takes the name of Jeanette), fiction and fairy tale it is, as Winterson (not known for her modesty) describes it not like any other novel. The content
is fairly shocking: the narrative follows Jeanettes realisation that she is a lesbian and her zealously religious adopted mothers intolerance towards this. Perhaps the greatest shock of all, however, is that Oranges works so well. It comes at you sideways, abandoning the linear narrative in favour of a freer structure. The power of Wintersons writing is in her boldness, her unflinching creativity.
Winterson doesnt make me like her very much, shes arrogant, completely aware of her talents and admits to hitting her girlfriends.
Why Be Happy When You Can Be Normal? is Oranges: the follow up, or the truth behind Oranges. Whilst Oranges was staunchly still fiction, Why Be Happy When You Can Be Normal? sits in the slightly murkier genre of creative non-fiction (or memoir if you want to use a blanket term), leading me back to whether I love or hate Winterson. Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal? is undeniably brilliant. It is exquisitely well written and brutally sometimes heartbreakingly honest. This is creative non-fiction at its best: fearless and unguarded. Winterson doesnt make me like her very much, shes arrogant, completely aware of her talents and admits to hitting her girlfriends. However, thats the real success of the book. Its courageous enough not to care what you think of the author. In short, if you hate Winterson, reading Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal? probably wont change your mind (although youll surely have to admire the tenacity of her writing) and if you love her, youll love this too because its oh so very good. As for me? Im still not sure. I dont like Jeanette Winterson, but, my God, I admire her writing. And, to be honest, I think shed agree thats a pretty fair statement to make.
y Creative Writing Dissertation piece, Isen & Eldar, was finally completed, printed and bound just over a month ago now. Though it was the most stressful project Ive worked on, I have, admittedly, missed it. The research was time consuming as Id barely even looked at some of the topics beforehand. But my interest in Isen & Eldar stayed to the end. At no point did I change my mind. As soon as I had all these different ideas to either work from or discard, I was fine. One of the reasons for this is that unintentionally, I didnt treat it as a dissertation. Im hoping to develop the piece in the near future. I think I gained a lot from seeing the process as long-term, apart from the overbearing extended word count part. I got slightly carried away there. One of the hardest things I found was creating characters. My character voices and character attributes seemed to lack dimensions. Being a fan of storytelling - fairy tales, myths and so on, I think I focus so much so on the actual narrative, that characters are lost. So one of the things I started with was my twins, Isen and Eldar, Ice and Fire, their personalities, interests and habits linked to the meanings of their names. I abandoned characters that did not further the narrative or express something specific. As a final thought, at first, I was too concerned with audience expectations. After interviewing Marcus Sedgwick, author of The Dark Horse, I began to write more freely. CMW: With young adult fantasy fiction, do you believe it is easier to get away with darker themes because of the fantasy genre, or did you have to be particularly careful, considering the age group the book aims towards? MS: I dont steer my books one way - I dont consider much who will read them, I just hope someone does. If my publishers have any concerns about material then I listen to that, but I try not to second guess how people will react to my book.
problem that one often comes up against when reading or studying great works of literature is the classic argument: maybe the author just used that word because they felt like it. Well guess what? You might be right. Here we stumble upon the interpretation/ intention debate. We are all aware of the tension between the readers interpretation
of a text and how the author intended it to be received. Cast your minds back to English Literature GCSE: teachers tend to drum it into our heads that the author chose to do this because it has this effect. And yet now I wonder if perhaps the focus should be on the way readers interpret what the author has written rather than what they intended to suggest with their words.
This would mean that you dont need to be able to make elaborate meanings out of the words on the page but instead enjoy them for what they mean to you, for what they really are: a way to transport you to amazing places. And for lit-fanatics out there, when you read about white flowers or golden hair or any words from which you can create a meaning- do it. Your own interpretation of
a text is just as valuable as what the author intended you to get from it, however complex and exaggerated it may seem. So, next time you pick up a book or a newspaper or even a magazine think about how you are personally affected by them and their words. The beauty of reading is what you make of it.
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f you havent heard of The Hunger Games yet, where have you been? Even before the films release on 23rd March, the novel had maintained a spot on USA Todays bestselling books list for 135 weeks. With Collins also joining just five other authors who have sold over one million Amazon Kindle eBooks, The Hunger Games trilogy is undoubtedly a phenomenon as big as Harry Potter and Twilight. Unfortunately, it is certainly difficult to avoid comparing Collins novel to Harry Potter and Twilight, but if youre a fan of either you will love this book. Within a couple of chapters, I was completely gripped. In the country of Panem, controlled by the Capitol after a failed rebellion, the Capitol hosts televised Games to warn against another uprising. Each year there is a draw from which one girl and one boy between the ages of 12 and
...it is not only an exhilarating ride on the constantly wavering edge between life and death but also calls into question the very nature of being human.
Forget Bella; Katniss embodies all the strength, wittiness and intelligence of the ultimate heroine. She completely defies all stereotypes and you cannot help but fall for her tough, independent exterior which hides her almost soft and sometimes nave nature. Whilst Ill avoid as many spoilers as
possible, the sincerity of Peeta is one of the most moving things about this novel. As the reader is dragged through turmoil and struggle, he is what grounds this novel with his simple determination to remain true to himself. There is also a wonderfully satiric element to this post-apocalyptic world Collins has created. From the themes of poverty to the Games themselves, its almost impossible to ignore the underlying parallels with reality. Indeed, this dystopian novel has been praised as outstanding by The Times. Yet it is not only an exhilarating ride on the constantly wavering edge between life and death but also calls into question the very nature of being human. So I challenge you to read The Hunger Games and not find yourself drawn into the suspense, the terror and the passion which Collins so excellently weaves between its pages. I promise that you will be hungry for more.
to horror
oure faced with one simple choice: a quick death by hanging or a slow death by poison. You have minutes to decide before you are either sentenced to the gallows, or taking up your new position as food taster to the Commander. Which would you choose? For Yelena Zaltana in Maria V. Snyders exciting debut novel, Poison Study, this is the choice she faces. from the very first page the novel presents itself as a thrilling adventure story whose pace never slows. Set in the imaginary realm of Ixia, Snyder introduces the reader to her world of magic, temptation and danger. The novel opens in a dirty, infested prison where Yelena awaits execution for her role in the murder of a man whom she feels no guilt about killing. However, faced with an irresistible opportunity to live, Yelena accepts the responsibility of becoming Commander Ambroses official food taster,
regardless of the risks involved in testing for poison. In order to secure her full co-operation and quench any plans for escape, Valek, the Chief of Security, poisons Yelena with Butterfly Dust and provides her with the antidote every morning; without which she would die a slow and painful death. What ensues is a tale of determination, romance and power, without once losing its gripping quality. Yelena, the female protagonist, is easy to empathize with. She has an absorbing background story which adds layers to her character. It is exciting to see how she grows as a woman without losing her likeability. Poison Study is an easy read; the language is straight-forward but undeniably absorbing, whilst the plot is rife with shocking twists, trying decisions, and exciting developments. If youre looking for an enlivening adventure story with a unique interpretation of the fantasy genre, then this is the novel to really get your teeth into
f you type top ten horror writers into Google, it is almost guaranteed that it will bring up lists which are primarily, if not completely, dominated by male authors. From Edgar Allen Poe to Stephen King, womens absence when it comes to the horror genre is increasingly apparent. But 2012 has brought with it a new wave of female-written horror stories sure to keep you up all night. A new novel by Jeanette Winterson and the rise of such writers as childrens author Helen Dunmore and TV presenter Judy Finnigan sees women taking a far more assertive role within horror fiction. Nevertheless, are women writing horror stories and corrupting peoples innocence? There is something which just doesnt seem quite conventional about that. Ladies, once again, we are the minority in a sea of male horror writers. Terrance Rafferty offers controversial but unfortunately realistic reasoning behind this in his article Shelleys Daughters for The New York Times. He suggests that for the most part, a womans place in horror has been pretty well defined: shes the victim, seen occasionally and heard only when she screams. So because women are traditionally seen as weak, we cant write a good horror story because we should be hiding under the covers instead? Meanwhile, of course, the strong, brave men protect and save us from the evil that we could be subjected to. And because they are just so amazingly courageous, they can obviously write better horror stories too. Well, Im sure Mary Shelley would have something to say about that. Indeed, perhaps one is forgetting the other type of woman in horror: the femme fatale. If the female victim is typically weak, cowardly and scared, then the femme fatale is the complete opposite. Influential, defiant and fierce: this is the kind of woman who writes horror stories. But the fact that society still jumps to the image of the cowardly woman when relating women to horror is sadly just a reflection of our on-going struggle to gain equality with men. Whilst legally we are far better off, literature clearly still sees women in a pitiable way. So go on girls, pick up a piece by Winterson, a novel by Dunmore or even have a go at a horror story yourself and prove to everyone that us women can be just as bad as we are innocent.
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fter an incredible year in 2011, Scottish rock band Twin Atlantic, have proved that there is no slowing down for them any time soon. After selling out Camdens KOKO on their tour last month, it became obvious as to why the band have made such sudden impact and gained the support of the likes of BBC Radio 1 and Kerrang. They are just that good. The show was a sweaty success with fans really showing their dedication to the band in the form of mosh pits and crowd surfing. If youre a fan of rock music and havent already heard of this band then definitely check them out. The album free is an extremely passionate debut and a truly unique listening experience. Give it a listen, I dare you to try and sing along without donning a terrible fake Scottish accent. The Stag was lucky enough to have a quick chat with lovely lead guitarist, Barry McKenna before the show. The Stag: Hows the tour been going so far? Barry (Twin Atlantic): Its been going very well thank you, yeah its nice to be back on home soil because we were in America for eleven and a half weeks or something so its nice to be with the home crowd who are amazing. TS: Have you been missing home comforts? B: Yeah, well its more the people you miss rather than the place. I mean I spent the first twenty years of my life in Glasgow, so Ive kind of had enough of it in a way. But yeah people like your family and friends. There are little things you miss.
TS: Like your bed? B: No no not so much. Im so used to sleeping in different beds so being home now is almost like being on holiday. Its more little cuisine things and past times we have.
TS: Past times? B: Honestly, just normal stuff like going out with friends. Im a film buff so I love going to movies and I play a lot of football and golf which is very rock and roll I know! Bit of hill walking sometimes. That makes me sound like a seventy year old man doesnt it? But in Scotland we have very nice nature, its a good way to get out and clear your head. TS: Where has been the most amazing place for you to gig? B: Oh, tricky question. There are loads. Im biased towards Scotland because the people from Scotland are often underdogs. There is a sense of underachievement, so when anyone does anything good. Like Andy Murray when he plays at Wimbledon people who hate tennis are like Come on Andy. So when we go and play shows people are always very up for it. Germany is also awesome; they love rock music out there. TS: When you started out you were supporting a lot. Who has been your favourite act to support? B: Erm, there have been a lot of bands. The first tour we ever did was supporting a band called Circa Survive and we became really good friends with them. They taught us a lot, we didnt really know how to survive on the road until then. I loved touring with the Subways too, again they became really goods friends of ours. It was really cool to tour with Blink and Biffy and Smashing Pumpkins. Weve just been really fortunate.
TS: What is the most mental thing that has happened at one of your gigs? B: Ross once lost half a tooth. He got too close to Craigs drum kit and he hit the cymbal and it flicked up into his face and took half his tooth out. Must have bloody hurt. One time a guy crowd surfed wearing a full chicken suit, so we thought that guy is too cool not to invite up on stage. So we just had this human sized chicken dancing around on stage with us. TS: What is the first thing you do when you get off stage? B: I dry myself off and get my breath back. I sweat a horrible amount on stage. With the heat of the lights on stage and the atmosphere. Then have a wee chat about the show see if we all thought it was a good one. TS: You released your debut album last year, how did that feel? B: To be honest, it was a shock to see our record of HMV or whatever. Weve been in this band for a few years now, and worked really really hard so to finally get this break was amazing.
TS: Favourite alcoholic beverage? B: Well, I dont actually drink. I used to drink too much so Ive not drank for about a year and a half now. When youre a Scottish guy and you go on the road and get free booze every night you just lose your sh*t a wee bit. My favourite alcoholic drink used to be whiskey or maybe a pint of Guinness actually. Love a good pint of Guinness. Who is your favourite band? Erm, probably between Pink Floyd and Radiohead. Celebrity crush? An actress called Rachel McAdams. Shes a babe. Who is the most athletic? Were all quite sporty. Craig runs a lot though so probably him. Who is the worst at getting up? Its between me and Sam but he just gets it. Lazy singer syndrome! Who is the biggest flirt? Probably Craig. People think it would be Sam but hes really awkward. Craig is a total lady killer. Its always the quiet ones!
What song on the album means the most to you? Well, different songs for different reasons. I would say I love the song Yes, I Was Drunk and Serious Underground Dance Vibes just because they are different kinds of tracks. Free means a lot to us now because its kind of taken us from playing small venues to places like KOKO tonight. It seems to have struck a chord with people which is really cool.
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aunching a solo career can be a daunting undertaking, especially if you have the kind of musical reputation that precedes Jack White. At the sprightly age of 36, with a vast repertoire of hits under his belt, as a prolific songwriter for The Raconteurs, The Dead Weather and the esteemed The White Stripes and considered by some as a warlock shrouded in mystery and others as a swashbuckling buccaneer of the musical world, Jack White has a lot to live up to. So, is this solo venture and consequent solo album merely an ephemeral blunder or a wonder? Well, its a lot of both; Whites self referential lyrics expose some tormented views on love, loss and life, and an evident instrumental prowess, enriching an album that yields a countrified twang, smuggled straight out of Nashville. Although its evident that Jack Whites musicality radiates throughout the album, the problem is that your eardrums are constantly grappling with an array of songs that are as dull as dishwater in places. A lot of the album, including the initial track Missing Pieces resembles a lumbering dinosaur, with non-varying yet melodic piano chords that shuffle along, dragging our tympanum along with them; Whites rasping and spluttering vocals and a caterwaul of a guitar solo gives the albums kickoff some attitude though. In the same vein, Sixteen Saltines proves itself to be quite a raw and rebellious rock stomper, encapsulating the energy that The White Stripes were renowned for, with a riff driven by raunchy power chords. Fists in the air at the ready as Freedom at 21 boasts plenty of vocal warbling, and yet another impressive and bombastic guitar solo,
regrettably Blunderbuss has been starved off the energy and vigour which was indicative of Jack White as the musical driving force in his former groups.
Blunderbuss is available via ITunes, at 7.99; check out Sixteen Saltines and Im Shakin for a cheeky taster.
y first question to five Chambers full was direct. I wanted to know what they were about. Other people was the prompt reply. Then, We hear what we like, and try to imitate it, to the best of our ability. Weve taken it from the bedroom to the stage. Cue a lot of laughter, and vocalist Michael quickly cut in, You might want to emphasise that thats about the music. Five Chambers Full are a Guildford-based band consisting of lead singer Michael Roke, guitarists Kieran Lallbeeharry and Paul Hart, bassist Morgan Gooch and drummer Damo Crouch, formed in late 2009. They cover a wide range of rock bands, from Muse and Red Hot Chilli Peppers all the way to Killswitch Engage and Papa Roach, although when I asked about major influences, Kieran admitted When I was young, I heard this song... it was called What I Go To School For... The rest of the band dissolved in gales of laughter. Once this had subsided, he continued, I picked up the guitar at thirteen and started playing pop punk, but then I worked my way up to metal. It wont stop there through. Ive listened to extreme drum and bass, blues and classical. Its pretty eclectic, but I think you can learn from anything.
As we discussed music, it became clear that their priority is enjoying their music and wanting to share that enjoyment. As Kieran pointed out, if the fun is gone from playing, what is the point? I asked about live experiences, guessing that this band had some stories. They did not disappoint. Yeah, Mike was drunk. That was funny. Apparently, to entertain a restless crowd, the band then started playing country. Another experience was apparently when Morgan attempted to start a moshpit on stage and caused havoc with guitar rigs. Macarena while playing Lamb of God? I was informed this video was on Youtube. The first mosh pit we ever saw was at No Wave United...I looked up, and there was just chaos in front of me. Some guy actually broke his wrist! One or two memorable performances then? I think so. My final question, before five Chambers Full took to the stage at No Wave United 3, was where they were heading as a band in the future. What did they hope for? More gigs, really...I think if we play live more, we will be able to play live better. As their Facebook page states, they are all about playing hard, playing loud. And enjoying themselves. Which they clearly do.
30 MUSIC
The Stag |
music@thestagsurrey.co.uk
COMPETITION
The Stag |
MUSIC
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By Elliot Tyers, Music Team By Tanya Noronha, Music Team the atmosphere differed between the two festivals where Download, now in its 10th year, is about the overall experience as much as the bands, Sonisphere, being relatively new and the lesser known of the two, can be seen to be for those who are there first and foremost for the music. Also, the variation of having 2 rock/metal festivals in the country did make a difference in terms of Download being during exam times for students. Therefore, the absence of Sonisphere this year is pretty significant. Now Download has lost its main rival, the point was raised that if Sonisphere doesnt come back for 2013, then it could potentially have one of its strongest line-ups. However, festivals are a great way for bands to make a breakthrough so if a Europe-wide major festival like Sonisphere can be entirely cancelled, rock and metal music fans lose out on a great way to discover new bands and new bands lose an important platform from which to promote their music. So can Sonisphere bounce back next year? I got a mixed response. Unless they can grab themselves 3 major headliners very early on, I can't see a recovery for them, as much as I want them to one stated. However, given the success of previous years and the loyal fan base the festival has accumulated, another couldnt see why they couldnt come back. The conclusion could be that it all hinges on how the organisers approach this years setback if they get discouraged by the blow, Sonispheres future is in jeopardy. However if they take the time to regroup and come back strong with an excellent lineup, they may give Download a run for their money. Only time will tell.
onisphere is a touring music festival which has been held in an increasing number of countries across Europe over the past 3 years. Although Reading, Leeds and Glastonbury tend to spring to mind first when the word festival is mentioned, for anyone who is a fan of heavier music, Download Festival now flies the flag alone. Although Sonisphere is not a mainstream festival, it is a popular one, and it caters for a large section of music fans. So when the line-up announcements were late, the line-up itself was controversial (Queen performing with Adam Lambert raised a few eyebrows) and tickets sold slowly, the decision was made that it would be best to cancel all the planned dates. But what do those in the know think? Was its cancellation for the best? I asked a couple of friends who have attended each year since Sonisphere made its 2009 UK debut for their input. I wanted to know firstly if they thought it was a good thing that the festival had been cancelled entirely. Opinions varied. One thought that the fact they had won the award for the best line-up last year was a poisoned chalice, as this meant expectations were obviously pretty high for the line-up announcements. He thought it was a good idea they decided to cancel the festival as the last 3 years had provided some of the best live performances hed ever witnessed, stating that seeing a half empty Sonisphere would be worse than seeing it cancelled all together. However, another raised the point that the experience of seeing Queen live despite being led by Adam Lambert instead of Freddie Mercury could still have been well worth it. He also mentioned that he felt
Pop is actually my least favourite kind of music, because it lacks real depth. Christina Aguilera
think that theres a pretty general consensus regarding dubstep as a genre loud noises, people sweatily crashing into one another in some dark club and repeated insistent instances of bass being dropped. At its best you wouldnt dance to it sober and at its worst its as if somebody took the sound of a chainsaw being run down a blackboard and threw it into a cement mixer. But if you move away from the kind of Skrillex-y material that dominates the mainstream, dubstep comes off as a much more nuanced genre. Post-dubstep is the moniker that encompasses the more ambient and UKbased sound. If they were paintings the Skrillex and Flux Pavilions of the dubstep world would be a Jackson Pollock, all stabbing synths and pounding bass of vivid colour and madness whereas the relaxed, garage influenced likes of Burial and Matthew Dear would be much more Hans Hoffman, much more subtle strokes and minimalism. Daughn Gibsons first solo album All Hell walks more in this relaxed form of Dubstep, a strange angle maybe for a former drummer in a stoner-rock band, and a current truck driver but he brings that rugged honesty to the album and just as James Blake samples RnB across his tracks, Daughn does the same by utilising nourish country ballads. For example opener In The Beginning begins with a gentle looping piano and Daughn allows the trapped loop to slowly encompass gently building beats, and then his own rough croon which then gives way to a lone female voice. The track does its job of pulling you into the album, as well as getting you used to the totally unique style of Gibson. Tiffany Lou is probably the best track in All Hell, Daughns voice is pitched down over a low hum and drowns you with stories of washed up men while a slow country guitar thuds out chords that every now and then loop and glitch as if to remind you of how alien a sound the album produces. By the time you listen to A Young Girls World, you know whether youll like Daughns style or
not I certainly did although his cowboy drawl sometimes comes off as too rough and masculine, he sometimes sounds like Johhny Cash gargling whiskey on the rocks, with actual rocks and lines like I saw him/Underneath the neon lights of a corner bar/ Crying like a child are hard to take straight faced but Daughns dedication to a true Country vibe helps you ignore these moments where the album seems too over the top. The other stand out track is Lookin Back On 99 where it opens to lurching guitars and pounds forwards ceaselessly on a minimal drum beat the real strength is little lyrical images like Dont we love the love we knew? That gives a strange sense of the profound regarding Daughns gritty style. All the way through the album Daughn seems to be conjuring up the imagery of a broken Americana, perhaps taking a hint from UK-producer Burial whose tracks use ambient pulsations and solemn beats to evoke the image of a night-time London, flickering lights of distant tower blocks catching lonely drops of rain on empty streets whereas Daughn uses the juxtaposition of guitars and his own baritone drawl against pulsing bass lines and electronic buzzes to paint us a dusty world of small towns and broken, washed up men in bars, all linked by one empty road in the rolling desert. Its the way that he really engages with this story that makes the album so strong and although the genre seems so alien to deepest American, you can imagine All Hell rattling into life on some old jukebox while old drinkers lean against barstools. The other major success is that its a perfect endorsement of how full and aesthetically interesting a genre dubstep can be. I think that all those people who think that tracks like Bass Cannon represent all that dubstep has to offer should look at All Hell, regardless of whether they enjoy it or not, but just as a demonstration dubstep can be as diverse and varied as any other form of music.
32 SOCIETIES
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societies@thestagsurrey.co.uk
Societies
make the event as diverse and exciting as possible. So if you think your society has got what it takes be sure to keep an eye out for the event on Facebook, which will provide you with all the information you need with regards to signing up and getting started. Keen to take part but not a member of any society? Not a problem! Just follow the instructions above and get your friends to join in too or arrangements will be made for you to become part of another team on the day - who knows? You might even find yourself signing up for a society you never even considered/ knew existed before! Whether you choose to participate or just come along to cheer on your favourite society, Society Sports Day looks set to be an exciting fun-filled event, as well as great excuse to get out of the library and into the sunshinego on! You know you want to!
magine its Sunday. Youre loafing about the house, cup of tea in one hand, digestives in the other. All of a sudden, a familiar, warm, comforting smell fills up the house, making you knead a bacon buttie; the smell of freshly baked hot bread fresh out of the oven. Perfect! This week, culinary society has been on the rise, in more ways than one! Some may say its perhaps even the best thing since sliced bread. This week we held a bread making session, led by our very own, KangShen Ooi, where he taught a fantastic crowd of baguette loving, bagel munching, barmbrack adoring fans how to mix, raise and bake their way to panettone paradise. One loaf-lover commented: I like the improvisational feel to the class - quick demo and then straight in getting messy! Love it :). Another said: I like this! Very enjoyable session, hope to attend more exciting events like this! X Now, why go to all the hassle of being able to make your own bread at home when you can just pop down to Tesco, pick up a hunk of value white loaf and bumble back to your flat-bread? Well, something you probably dough-nt know is that a
Over the Easter break, Surrey Video Gaming Society (SVGS) hosted the biggest LAN Party at this university so far, in University Hall. A huge mix of games were played, including Counter Strike: Source, Battlefield 2, Starcraft 2, Team Fortress 2 and Command and Conquer Generals. The event ran from Friday evening, right through to Sunday morning, with food, entertainment and transport being provided. Some people came for a day, others for the whole weekend. Some people brought their own crazy machines, others rented one of the many owned by SVGS. Some people owned the battlefields, whilst others....didnt do so great. But regardless, everyone enjoyed it and cant wait for the next one. If youre feeling down about missing it, dont be! SVGS are planning one more LAN Party this year, after the summer exams are over. If you dont want to miss it, you should definitely keep an eye and an ear open over the next few weeks, details will come soon!
At 7.30pm on May 14th, 15th and 16th the curtains will rise once again for MADSoc performing their third musical to date; How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. Award winning and hot off Broadway, How to Succeed tells the tale of a New York window cleaner who has high aspirations. He reads a book entitled How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying and, following the books advice, slowly and surely progresses within a company. Focusing on the protagonists relationships with love interest Rosemary and his rival Bud, and other company members, hilarity ensues as Finch is taken from the bottom rung to the top of the Worldwide Wicket Company in a remarkably short space of time. From an inside point of view the rehearsals are now in full flow. Following a four day stint and a full run through of the first act everything looks fantastic. Without costumes, without stage and without props as of yet, Joshua Howell and Katherine Pacey embody both leading roles with a superb supporting cast. The production team have been fantastic with some enchanting, and often humorous, dances from the artistic mind of Sophie Dean and beautiful, often haunting, vocals under the responsibility of Musical Director Jerome Van Den Burghe. Last, but by no means least is the Director himself; kind hearted, enthusiastic and highly driven, Andrew Phipps leads this multitalented and exceptional cast constantly driving them forward through rehearsals. His ability to maintain a relaxed feel, whilst also achieving ridiculous amounts of progression in each rehearsal is awe inspiring and has certainly taught me a thing or two. How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying promises to be one of a kind. Performances are 14th, 15th and 16th of May with doors opening at 7.00pm. If you want to be part of this experience then tickets are available now from the Union Shop or online at www.eventelephant.co.uk/madsoc. Matthew Wyard, Assistant Director.
34 SPORT
The Stag |
sport@thestagsurrey.co.uk
orry about the tenuous LMFAO link to start this article, I wont do it again. The point is, last month Team Surrey took on the Kingston Cougars on a beautiful day at the Surrey Sports Park. Once again, as a vital cog in Surrey Universitys sports media machine, I took it upon myself to cover the event, first for GU2 Radio and now for The Stag. As temperatures soared above twenty degrees (any international students reading this, that is definite short shorts weather for us Britsalthough I chose black jeans), a summer feel was in the air as Surrey and Kingston prepared to do battle. Perhaps symbolically, the high temperatures were synonymous of Team Surreys form on the day. Ultimately, they were far too hot to handle for Kingston, with Surrey running out 55-28 winners. The day started with a sense of nervous anticipation, not just because I was on the Starbucks balcony, in dangerous proximity to both a beer stand and valuable radio equipment, but because the day was about to begin. For weeks, both the competitors and spectators had been geared up for the event, and the atmosphere continued to build until Varsity 2012 kicked off. As the barbecues
continued to fire and the beer continued to flow, one couldnt escape both the feeling of summer and also the sense of fun involved in what was, despite the competition, a day filled with banter and light-heartedness. For us at GU2 Radio covering the event, we were given instructions not to give out the scores, so that we could continue the feeling of tension and an almost dictatorlike implementation of censorship. Not that anyone was complaining, right up until 6 oclock, events were well attended as people scurried around for information, desperate to see their friends, to support their teams and to dish out the odd bit of abuse to Kingston. Given the shackles of neutrality due to my broadcasting position (and Kingstons admirably large support), I was unable to be too vociferous in my support of Surrey. Anyone who was at Varsity will know that this is a huge lie, as I took any opportunity to roar encouragement/sabotage Kingstons hopes wherever possible. Even approaching early evening, no-one seemed to know how the day was shaping up, but it seemed like it was going to be a close finish, as crowds flocked from one match to the next, told that their support could make the difference where the games were tight. The fact it wasnt tight didnt make much
n Sunday 11th March the University of Surrey Taekwondo club travelled to Nottingham to take part in the 26th edition of the Student Nationals. 29 university teams took part in the competition in both Kyorugi (Sparring) and Poomsae (Patterns) categories, hoping to win many medals and battle it out for the top three team trophies. Despite having to overcome injuries, university workload and exams, the team trained very hard and saw their efforts rewarded with 7 gold medals, 4 silver medals and 10 bronze medals! All in all, 20 out of 28 competitors won a medal. Half of our team had no previous sparring experience yet managed to excel at the competition, bringing back medals, great experience and the will to compete and win again. Surrey Taekwondo also won a team trophy for the first time, coming 2nd (joint with UWE Taekwondo) out of 29, only losing to Southampton, who won the 1st place trophy for the third consecutive year.
The names of the competitors who took part in the Student Nationals are: Gold medallists: Andrea Natoli, Andrew Soteriou, Artemis Nika, Flora Da, Maz Islam, Hei Man Cheng, Nina Katerina Bafouni Silver medallists: Andreas Giannakas, Duncan Ross, Julie Renard, Spencer Boxer Bronze medallists: Mohamed Abdisalam , Naren Murali, Bhav Malhi, Stephanie Gooch, Rachel Hales, Craig Ferns, Mustafa Alsoodany, Amy Yuejia Ming, Amir Jalali, Nasser Al-Harthy No medals: Mike Przemyslaw Czernecki, Craig Rosser, Niraja Ward, Mustafa Hassan, Tomas Triantafilidis, Celia Rougis, Cindy Minghui Yuan
Everyone is still training hard to win future competitions and aim for the 1st place trophy at the BSTF competition that will take place next year. A smaller selection of fighters will take part in the Chung Do Kwan competition on 1st April.
36 SPORT
The Stag |
sport@thestagsurrey.co.uk
Sport
emester One was one of the most successful starts to an academic season in USBC history, and Semester Two did not disappoint with even more records being set for the club. The first race for the club was the 4.5km BUCS Head in Peterborough on the 19th February. The club entered in its top senior boats with the aim to win as many BUCS points as possible. At the end of the day, the club came away with 12 BUCS points thanks to the championship mens lightweight coxless four and quad, extending our BUCS points total for the year to a record 18 points. The intermediate mens heavyweight coxed four came an excellent 4th place out of thirty crews, narrowly missing out on 3rd with less than 3 seconds between them, meaning that the boat pre-qualifies for the BUCS Regatta in May. The following week the seniors were in action again in the 4.6km Reading University Head on 25th February. This time the seniors were out in an IM2 eight and came 20th in the afternoon division out of over 100 other eights, and came 10th out of 27 in their category. Next was the 5.2km Kingston Head on 10th March, a perfect opportunity to practise for the upcoming Eights Head of the River Race. The senior eight entered in both the morning in IM1 and came 23rd out of 187, as well as in the afternoon in IM2 and came 15th out of 143. As well as the seniors, the clubs beginner boats were also out to compete at the head. The beginner men entered into both divisions with a composite IM3 and novice eight with Saint Marys University. In the morning they came 78th out of 187 boats and in the afternoon came 39th out of 143 boats ( 6th out of 20 in their category) - great results considering they had only been rowing as a crew for a couple of weeks beforehand.
Finally, the clubs womens beginner squad racing for the first time entered a novice coxed four and came 5th in their category. Finally, the day arrived for the 7km Eights Head of the River Race on 17th March on the tideway. This is the biggest eights race in the world with crews from across the globe entering in order to compete in the prestigious event. Entering both the senior and composite beginner eights, more record breaking results were expected after the seasons results so far. Out of the 400 boats that entered, the senior eight finished an incredible 93rd place. This is the highest place that the University of Surrey had ever come in the race and the first time that it had ever broken the 200th place mark, let alone 100th . This result means that Surrey was the 13th fastest BUCS eligible crew on the day and the 68th fastest UK crew, all new records for the club and university. The beginner crew came a respectable 306th place overall and having never rowed on the tideway before, this too was a great result. A special mention needs to be made to Anna Stedman who took part in the annual 31 mile Boston Marathon in a single scull. Rowing in aid of Parkinsons UK, she helped to raise over 670 and completed the course in just 4 hours and 20 minutes - just 10 minutes short of the course record, and won her category with ease. Also a big thank you to Ben Johnson and Red Bull for providing the club with some energy at times of need. With the rowing head season now over, the boat club is now gearing up for the regatta season and the BUCS Regatta in May. Expectations for the regatta season are high, especially after a successful start for Surrey after beating Kingston at Varsity. Possible medal positions at BUCS and the club aiming to qualify for the Henley Royal Regatta for the first time, mean the stage is set for this academic year to be one of the greatest in Boat Club history.
The Senior 8+ at Kingston Head consisting of Ashley Epps, Phil Elton, Nick Bright, Joe Davis, Rupert Graham, Jon Rains, Rob Sillitoe, Darryl Kelly and cox Ellie Willetts.
The composite beginner 8+ at Head of the River consisting of Surrey boys Nathan OReilly, Rob Nicholson, Andrew Lane, Charles Watson and cox Bethan Morris.
n May 23rd in Studios A&B of Surrey Sports Park, the University of Surrey Boxing Club shall be holding the first ever Ultimate University Contender. The aim of this event is to combine and promote academic and sporting achievement at University level and it is to be the first of many of its kind. The idea behind this series stems from our trainer, Ollie Wilsons Ultimate School Contender, in which he went into primary schools and set up a competition which took into account both pupils academic, and sporting efforts and achievements. The winner was awarded a championship belt and a sponsorship of 250, donated by professional footballer Shaun