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FASHION WEEK
GO ROGUE Music: Joe Brookes reviews BESTIVAL
NEW YORK, MILAN, PARIS, STRAND CAMPUS
FASHION EDITOR’S NOTE
IN mid-September, Somerset House’s courtyard was invaded. There were no KCL Law students in sight, Strand office workers on a lunch break or tourists eager to spy the Neoclassical architecture. Instead, a colourful sea of bold lips, dip-dyed locks and swathes of fur and camouflage tentatively navigated the cobbles. The sound of blogger camera shutters clicking and six-inch white stilettos tottering accompanied the smell of custom Penhaligon’s scents. London Fashion Week Spring/ Summer 2014 had hit the capital. This bi-annual five day sartorial indulgence, held at various locations across London, has become globally renowned for innovation and pushing the boundaries of what is au courant. The irony of an aging, seventeenth century mansion hosting the unofficial cult of everything brand spanking new is amusing. Indeed, London Fashion
Week, like those held at New York, Milan and Paris, is the opportunity for the fashion world to wipe the slate clean and start again. An influx of new ideas, trends and looks each season provides the prime time for the imagination to be stretched, and one’s look to be reinvented. The fact that this reinvention will arguably boil down to buying pink rather than purple and flatforms rather than platforms is not the point. The fashion world’s keenness to recharge and try something new could perhaps inspire us all as we start a new year at KCL Yes, that could include trying a new sport, joining KingsTV and seeing your course in a new light through fresh modules. However, with a cultural bias I suggest that making time to visit an art gallery, sync new songs to your iPhone, buy tickets for a National Theatre production and, naturally, invest in some AW 13/14 wardrobe updates will be
things you won’t regret. Reinventions at the moment are not exclusively fashionable or personal, but also extend to this culture section at Roar!. We have recently been christened Rogue, with a brand new look, tone and extended Film section to boot. In this issue’s Fashion & Lifestyle we have for you the ultimate trend lowdown, key beauty looks and why the front row has become such a big deal in ‘Phenomenon of the FROW’. Film are celebrating Black History Month with profiles on the best black actors, and have compiled a list of which Halloween films you should be watching in three weeks’ time. Music are also looking forward with a feature on the creation of a new society, the King’s Record, and a fresh perspective on the freak-folk band CocoRosie. Hey, why not include us in your cultural reinvention and contribute an article! •
LAUREN CLARK
FASHION & LIFESTYLE fashionlifestyle.rogue@gmail.com LAUREN CLARK FILM & TV filmtv.rogue@gmail.com CHARLOTTE WOODS & JOSH STUPPLE MUSIC musicreviews.rogue@gmail.com JOE BROOKES & OSCAR DAVIES ARTS & THEATRE artstheatre.rogue@gmail.com JESSICA MOFFATT-OWEN & DAISY BARTLETT
R OGUE FASHION & LIFESTYLE
LONDON FASHION WEEK
Bulldogs, bare legs and brocade, we have the ultimate London Fashion Week Spring/ Summer 2014 trend lowdown for you... ROKSANDA ILINCIC
THE BEST OF THE REST
IT was a poignant moment in Ilincic’s career. Having won the Red Carpet Award at the British Fashion Awards in 2012, this collection provided the opportunity to cement the idiosyncrasies she has become renowned for. Yellows and oranges were fundamental, and accentuated her geometry through sharp distinction from delicate hints of black, and the softer use of pastel greys and whites. Ilincic’s ability to intricately contrast evocative textures with well thought-out geometric lines is her forte. Her use of crystallised beading and PVC flowers as embellishment cleverly juxtaposed with her zeal for architectural precision and unadorned silhouettes. The rare marriage of understatement and elegance is always at the heart of Ilincic’s designs. Although her designs appear minimalist and effortless, she creates excitement and drama using simple shapes and patterns. She is arguable not just a designer, but an architect. • HANNAH YATES
BURBERRY PRORSUM
IT was time for the highly-anticipated Burberry show in Kensington Gardens. With a finale of falling petals, a front row including Chung and Styles, and not to mention the likes of Delevingne and Dunn gracing the catwalks, the show did not fail to wow the fashion elite. Chief designer of the quintessentially British brand, Christopher Bailey, shocked his followers with a soft and delicate mood. A pretty pastel palate of spearmint, palma violet and rosepetal-pinks ran throughout. See-through tops, skirts and lacy dresses were a shocking and suggestive twist for the brand; Burberry has turned sexy. The famous trench coat was now embellished with hand-sewn crystal flowers and huge elaborate belts. Bailey titled it an “English Garden”: indeed, it was the epitome of elegance and grace. • EMILY FOLKES
TOM FORD
LONDON welcomed the former Gucci designer’s cementing of his love for the city this year with the opening of his first store. This week, Ford showed further appreciation for the capital in a show that juxtaposed mini with oversized, monochrome with glitter balls, and extravagance with simplicity. Opening with an oversized oak biker jacket and matching mini skirt, Ford channelled 1970s biker chic before launching into a series of monochrome cobweb and zebra prints, combining a simple colour scheme with lavish, sheer fabrics. A few standard Ford tuxedos later, and an army of glittery gladiators strut down the catwalk. Thigh-high boots and exaggerated shoulders celebrated what Ford’s collection was all about, strong women; women who can own their femininity by wearing super short skirts and glittery dresses should they want to, but who are simultaneously physically strong. • LYDIA
MULBERRY
BEFORE the beautiful models had even appeared on the runway we knew that Mulberry had something special in store. The catwalk had been decorated in a fairytale style: delicate white roses and ivy climbed the surrounding walls, while daisies dotted the grass floor. It was if we had been transported to a hidden meadow. The show opened with supermodel of the moment, Cara Delevingne, who elegantly entered in a chic, light and dark silvery jacquard coat paired with a matching just-above-the-knee, tailored skirt. This jacquard trend fed through into other looks in the form of a pretty, fitted jacket and exquisite cropped trouser, all of which displayed the natural curves of the female body. Crisp, white skirts, dresses and shirts with a textured floral pattern conveyed a charming, polished look. The shot of black leather in the collection added contrast and edge, transforming the show into a modern fairytale. • TALIA OGUNYEMI
JW ANDERSON FOR the quickly rising design phenomenon, Jonathan Anderson, the past five years have
proven extremely eventful, and SS14 is no exception. His collection this season was rich, with textures and shapes melding together to tell an interesting story. The show opened with floor length sheaths, periodically and beautifully placed cinching down the silhouette. The colours remained simple, with charcoals and ivories, but still a hint of metallic to draw complete focus. An almost liquid effect can be observed in some of the pieces; however; as the show progressed the story shifted from romanticism to harsher origami shapes. Closing with voluminous sequin skirts and architectural, yet simple, white tops, this collection will certainly be remembered among an impressive repertoire. • RACHEL HUMMEL
MCKEE
TOPSHOP UNIQUE TOPSHOP Unique tends be treated with a fond bias by shoppers and bloggers
over other designer collections. Nonetheless, they do not cut any corners in ensuring a fabulous show. There was a natural theme in the colour scheme, with waxy, woodland greens, and sea and sky blues prominent. This collection offered a slightly more luxe value to the quality and style of designs than standard Topshop. Silk was popular, with prints consisting of Moroccanesque tiles, uneven stripes and patterns. The collection included Middle Eastern influences, but toned it down with soft, neutral colourings. Tassels and fringing adorned some of the later designs, really giving the aura of being on holiday in Abu Dhabi or Morocco. Suede cover-ups were also prominent throughout for the chillier moments in one’s holiday. It’s nice to know that, as per, Topshop has thought of everything! • AMIRA ARASTEH
BEAUTY NOTE: FASHION WEEK TRADITIONALLY London Fashion Week presents beauty fans with a serious dilemma every season.
Eye shadow heavy on one runway, lipstick galore on another; there is usually too much diversity to define an overall trend. However, the shows for Spring/ Summer 2014 have taken the beauty world by surprise. For once, it seems that London Fashion Week has spoken with a collective voice. The muse they presented us with was that of a lady who defines the
grace and nature of English beauty, while still embracing London street edge. Dewy, natural and radiant skin was seen at every show. Make-up artist Lisa Eldridge at Temperley London even sent out models with no foundation at all. English rose
Henry Holland spiced things up, taking the look from natural grace to graceful edge. Our English rose became Shakespeare’s Juliet as Holland, inspired by Baz Luhrmann’s masterpiece, using bold tulip-red lip stains, and
statement religious iconography nail art. Christopher Kane and JW Anderson further emphasised the look with full brows and natural lip colours. Burberry, however, introduced the ‘Modern English Rose’. Their pastel palette was complemented by a fresh, petal-pink eye shadow, along with no mascara. This look sent the beauty bloggers into an experimental craze, and is sure to be a top trend for SS14. PPQ, on the other hand, transformed the English Rose dark and seductive, presenting the ‘Poisonous Flower’.
Maybelline Colour Tattoo in purple was the exact shade used to create a deeply defined, penetrating effect. Julien Macdonald and Michael van der Ham further pushed our London lady into the realms of expensive seduction with gold glitter and a touch of dark shadow. Topshop Unique, however, should take the prize for best spectacle of LFW. Their make-up artist Hannah Murray’s concept of a beachy, disheveled beauty was breathtaking: smudged, shimmery, smoky eye with a touch of silver sparkle at the inner corner.
This was not the rock star smudge of LFW’s past but one of grace. A first for London’s fashionable eye. LFW SS14 directed us to embrace our natural beauty. Use light and glowing bases, and rose-toned pinks for a beautiful natural look, but spice it up with glitter for a sophisticated and playful edge in the evening.
EMILY FOLKES
@Emily_Folkes and check out her blog at folkesthinks.blogspot.com
THE FRONT ROW FASHION FRENZY
What is it about the catwalk front row at Fashion Week that makes macho pop-gods pout and fashion fillies whinny? WHAT is it about the front row catwalk view at Fashion Week? It may as well have its own spotlight shining down on the seat allocations for all the fuss made over it. Anyone who is anyone sits on the front row (also known in the fashion world as FROW), and it is an insult to be demoted even a row further back. American Vogue editor Anna Wintour sits front row. Wintour’s assistant sits on the row behind. Now that puts things into perspective. Every fashion magazine will cover the four main fashion weeks across the style capitals London, Paris, New York and Milan. In every one there
will be, without fail, a feature on the FROW. Watching fashion shows with an unobstructed view equals status. Therefore securing a front row seat has become an unofficial war in the fashion world – the winner gets the legroom, the loser a cramped backseat. Often it is not typical fashion people on the FROW. Indeed, it has become so prestigious that now ordinary celebrities are vying for this recognition from fashion world. Take a look at the Topshop Unique catwalk show for AW 13/14. Sitting front row were Pixie Geldof and Daisy Lowe, who have an edgy, cool style that many budding fashionistas ad-
STYLISH WORDS OF WISDOM: HILARY ALEXANDER Legendary Telegraph fashion journalist speaks at London Fashion Weekend. “I feel like a dinosuar. It was a very different type of journalism when I started out in news in New Zealand many, many years ago. “It wasn’t until I moved to Hong Kong that I fell into fashion almost by accident. “It was very different getting into the industry back then. “However, in terms of writing about fashion, I use my news journalistic training to research and tell stories in the same way. “Fashion is as much an important part of news as anything else. “The industry employs and affects millions of people. “During my career I have attended many incredible shows; however, the Alexander McQueen final show, and
mire and emulate. However, singers Demi Lovato and Louis Tomlinson from One Direction joined Daisy and Pixie, despite having little previous fashion credentials. It has become well known that the FROW is where everyone wants to be, and so everyone, whatever profession, wants a place. Victoria Beckham even ensured baby Harper got a front row seat at her own New York Fashion Week catwalk show. Harper, cuddled by a doting David, stole all the limelight off Posh’s clothes, and even distracted Anna Wintour’s attention from the catwalk. She proves that all eyes are on who is at the fashion shows rather
than what is being showcased there. Harper may be an adorable exception, but perhaps it highlights that the front row nowadays detracts from the reason there is a show in the first place: the clothes. When people you would not expect sit front row, does it provide them with more publicity than the designer and their collection? Take Cara Delevingne, the model of the moment, and Olivia Palermo, a beauty who always has impeccable style. Would they settle for second row? Not at all. They would expect a guaranteed front row seat. They deserve it. Cara is all anybody is talking about right now, and Olivia is a style
icon within her own right. Those on the front row get their own style photographed and commented on, and they are the ones people are talking about. The second row gets a brief look-in, but no one talks about who they are or what they were wearing. The claws are out to get a FROW Fashion Week seat, and no agent or publicist is worth their fee if they cannot get their client that ticket. Check out Amira’s blog at
www.mymode101.wordpress.com
AMIRA ARASTEH
SPOTTED ON CAMPUS Follow Lauren Clark on Twitter @Lauren_Clark555 and check out her blog www.museforfashion.wordpress.com
the John Galliano first of his own label are probably my favourite. “In terms of my own style I like tribal, print and decorative jewellery. If in doubt always opt for a size larger, as one tends to look better. Remember, clothes should be fun!”
LAUREN CLARK
FASHION & LIFESTYLE R OGUE
R OGUE FILM HOT? OR NOT?
filmtv.rogue@gmail.com
BEST BLACK ACTORS
DENZEL WASHINGTON Acting in 43 feature films (and sadly dying in what seems to be nearly all of them), Washington has got to be one of
the biggest African American names in cinema. Firstly, Washington defined what it means to be a black man in cinema and blew us away with his portrayal of Malcolm X in Spike Lee’s 1992 film (for which he was nominated for an Oscar). Then he made us cry, gasp, shout, cry some more, clap and cheer throughout his performance in The Hurricane (nominated for another Oscar). Then he made us weak at the knees as the sexy, corrupt, leather-clad Alonzo Harris in Training Day (you guessed it, he won an Oscar). •
SUPER SCARY HALLOWEEN FILM FAVES WITH Halloween fast approaching, what better way to get in the mood than to scare yourself silly watching some horror films. Nick Batley gives his expert opinion on the horror films you absoultely must see and the ones you should avoid this Halloween...
HOT - You’re Next (2013)
In an area of cinema rapidly running out of ideas, this off-key, blackly comic slasher was a breath of fresh air. Well-shot, well-paced, genuinely scary (SUCH a rarity these days) and with an innovative use for a blender, this home invasion movie is by far the most enjoyable horror of the year so far. Fab female lead, too!
HOT - American Mary (2013)
Student life can be hard, especially when you’re a poor medical student. So what better way to supplement your income than as an illegal backstreet surgeon? Funny, gory, scary and subversive - this was a surprisingly entertaining gore-flick that went down very well at last year’s Frightfest.
HOT- Evil Dead (2013)
I recognise I may be in a minority here, but while I do not feel that the remake of Sam Raimi’s iconic Cabin in the Woods film is anywhere near the original, I still found that, despite it lacking the humour of the original, it had a certain level of visceral intensity that is often lacking from modern horror. Plus it has one of the best final lines of the last few years, which I cannot repeat, even in a student newspaper.
NOT- Insidious Chapter 2 (2013)
Quiet-quiet-bang-quiet-quiet-bang-quietquiet-bang-this-is-so-boring-sleep-snorezzzzzzzz-wakeup-quiet-quiet-bang-seriouslyis-this-what-horror-has-become-these-days?oh-god-kill-me-now
NOT- The Conjuring (2013)
See above, but with an added particularly rubbish ending. This actually had me sitting on the fence for a while, but towards the final act it just descends into completely hyperbolic chaos, and shows that the once interesting James Wan (who directed the not-completely-terrible opener to the Saw series) has completely run out of ideas.
NOT- Dark Skies (2013)
Aliens. Seriously. Just aliens. A word of advice: don’t pretend you’re going to have a big reveal of the nature of the threat two-thirds of the way into the film, if you are going to destroy the suspense in the first twenty seconds.
NICK BATLEY
MORGAN FREEMAN WHAT better leading man to kick off the list than everyone’s favourite narrator, Red, Fox, God, Boss, lieutenant,
president, captain, judge, principal and Mandela (except Nelson himself, of course), than the honey-voiced man himself, Morgan Freeman. Who can forget the loveable, endearing Hoke in Driving Miss Daisy, the witty yet tough Somerset in Se7en, the gritty ‘scrap-iron’ Eddie in Million Dollar Baby and, of course, the undeniably outstanding ‘Red’ in Shawshank Redemption? And with so many more unforgettable characters played by Freeman, this black actor is definitely one to be celebrated and remembered for years to come. •
JAMES EARL JONES
IN the industry for almost 50 years, James Earl Jones is easily one of the world’s favourite African American actors, especially in the ‘voice’ department. I can still remember my two-year-old self mesmerised by Mufasa telling me to “remember who you are”. Not to mention the iconic voice of good old Darth Vadar. Bringing these two characters to life alone earns him his place on this list, but there is far more to Jones than his voice acting. He is a must-see in the 1990 The Hunt for Red October, the 1970 The Great White Hope, as Reverand Stephen Kumalo in Cry, the Beloved Country and as the hilarious King Jaffe Joffer in Coming to America. •
JAMIE FOXX A SOLID contributor to one of my other top fives (we’ve all seen the photo), the characters Foxx creates always
stand out from the crowd (excuse all the puns). Foxx as Ray Charles in the 2004 film Ray was pure genius. Not only did Foxx learn to play Charles’s piano pieces himself, he even insisted on playing the role blind. His dedication paid off, and his remarkable acting earned him an Oscar. And I have to mention the sexy, strong and fearless, effortlessly cool Django, brought to life by Foxx. It’s impossible to picture any other actor as Django, and Foxx executes the role perfectly. •
ALI PANTONY
CURTIS QUITS, ABOUT TIME? RICHARD Curtis has monopolised a cinematic niche, full of big stars portraying ordinary people with great hearts, huge ambition and considerable loss. He has built his celebrated career writing and directing films for the public and not for his reviewers. With regards to Love Actually (2003), Curtis told the BBC, “I’d rather make a film that most of the audience liked and some critics didn’t, rather than a film that critics loved and nobody wanted to watch.” This attention to human life, whether acclaimed or not, has earned Curtis his unparalleled success in British romantic comedy. Curtis, like many screenwriters, has a distinct style. He has a ‘John Hughes’ tendency to recycle - using the same actors in multiple films and producing a ‘brat pack’ of international stars. For instance, Hugh Grant has led 5 of Curtis’s 12 films and
Colin Firth and Bill Nighy claim four. This repetition bothers some critics, but each of these actors have immense audience likeability, which empowers Curtis’s work. When asked what I look for in a film, I reply “myself.” I think many film viewers do try to relate to characters and storylines. Thus, the likeability of Curtis’s characters and the genuine nature of his storylines are paramount to his hits. Curtis’s narratives become our own. One of Curtis’s early achievements, Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994), exhibits the grand wedding’s underbelly - the ceremony’s inanity, the guests’ selfishness, and the disconcerting susceptibility to settling for the wrong person. Four Weddings and a Funeral isn’t a classic but its display of human nature makes for a good satire. Love Actually (2003), Bridget Jones’s Diary (2001) and Notting
Hill (1999) all created a mixed bag of reactions. Fun and heartwarming if viewed leisurely, and a little sugarcoated if viewed critically. However, the authenticity of each character and narrative is recognisable in every day life. Judging by my reaction to Curtis’s catalogue of previous films, I went into Curtis’s latest film, About Time, truly excited and perhaps overly enthusiastic. I was instantly interested in the topic of time travelling, a topic some might think of as impractical and silly, but it wasn’t. Curtis makes an impossible dream of the human condition, a well-crafted and amusing reality. Tim, played by Domhnall Gleeson, isn’t catapulting through embers on his way to Diagon Alley. He merely travels through his own life, changing his mind, his words and his actions. Tim becomes most loveable when he uses his ability to benefit others, such as altering the course
of a playwright’s opening night. I was most pleasantly surprised by the film’s actual core. The film becomes less about Tim and his love Mary, and more about Tim and his unnamed father (Bill Nighy). Tim’s relationship with his father is one of the most moving aspects of this film.Tim’s father teaches him the ultimate lesson to live each day twice. Once without seeing any of its beauty, and then again, seeing all of life’s little splendours. It teaches us to see everything through the best lens and be the best version of ourselves. Written and directed gracefully, About Time is reportedly the last film Curtis will direct. It is a wonderful farewell. •
CAMILLA BRANDFIELDHARVEY
RUSH: THE GLAMOUR AND TRAGEDY OF F1 I LOVE Formula One. I love the cars, the personalities and the races.
I love the history, and therefore it was almost inevitable that I would love Rush, a new film directed by Ron Howard charting the historic 1976 F1 season and the legendary rivalry between top drivers, James Hunt and Niki Lauda. These two excellent drivers, Hunt played by Chris Hemsworth and Lauda played by the little known but well regarded actor Daniel Brühl, are shown as having a tumultuous relationship that spurs both of them on to ever greater risks on the track, despite the horrific safety record of F1 at the time. It is the risk of death that accompanied F1 during the ‘70s that is the real driving force of the film, with Lauda commenting in the opening scene that F1 drivers were all desperate lunatics. The special effects throughout the film illustrate these risks very well and are unbelievably realistic, I indeed found myself not breathing during the horrific scenes of
Lauda’s near fatal crash - a credit to Ron Howard’s excellent directing. Niki Lauda himself has stated how impressed he was by the accuracy of the film, despite the fact that elements of his relationship with Hunt have been altered. Fundamentally, the rivalry between the two drivers has been exaggerated so as to make the conclusion, where both drivers acknowledge the respect they have for each other, more satisfying. Howard chooses to accentuate the differences of the two men to make them into two halves of the same whole. Lauda is secretly envious of Hunt’s ability to be liked. However, Hunt is clearly trying to catch up with Lauda’s superior skill. In the end, Hunt finds validation by winning the championship and Lauda’s choosing love over racing is a romantic one, but avoids being clichéd. Brühl’s skilled portrayal of the difficulties Lauda faces in choosing between the glorious highs but near-fatal lows of F1 and the love of his wife deserves particular praise,
especially in a film that is clearly centred on the playboy lifestyle of Hunt. I would be surprised if major award nominations are not on the horizon for this actor. Hemsworth holds his own with his excellent portrayal of the charming but damaged Hunt, while a well-rounded supporting cast including Olivia Wilde and Pierfrancesco Favino also excel. Rush has managed to emulate the award winning Senna (2010) in taking a relatively niche subject like F1 and making it accessible and interesting to not only the fans, but also the general public. Ultimately, Rush is about friendship and rivalry, love and danger - universal themes played out over a historic season of one of the most dangerous sports in the world. It is not only a thoroughly enjoyable story told by a fabulous director with star turns from the two leads, but it is also a fabulous throw back to a time when racing was dominated by personalities and a glamour that has largely been forgotten. •
WOODY ALLEN’S BLUE JASMINE WOODY Allen’s latest film to hit the screens is a tale of fall without redemption. Cate Blanchett masterfully plays Jasmine, a fallen Manhattan socialite who is forced to flee to San Francisco in the wake of a financial scandal, where her exhusband (Alec Baldwin) is exposed as a conman. Having fallen upon hard times, she moves in with her adopted sister Ginger (Sally Hawkins), who lives in a humble apartment with her two children. Despite Jasmine’s desperate attempts at maintaining the appearance of wealth and decorum, the truth gradually unfolds as Allen darts back and forth between past and present, interlacing scenes of lavishness and excess with the dawning realities of a midlife meltdown, featuring Xanax pills and one too many martinis. None of the critics have
failed to notice the parallels with Tennessee William’s A Streetcar Named Desire, which similarly boasts a fragile, self-deluded protagonist whose airs and graces wreak havoc in her sister’s home. However, I feel that there is more to be said about Allen’s heroine and her blithe disregard for reality. With the film’s undeniable references to the economic crash and the Madoff investment scandal, Jasmine can be interpreted as a modern day Marie Antoinette, who drives herself towards destruction without being aware of it. Blue Jasmine is far from being Allen’s most likeable film. His protagonist is awful, pretentious and exhausting to be around. It is impossible to empathise with a character who flies First Class - Louis Vuitton luggage in tow when she is completely broke. However, watching Jas-
mine’s serial humiliation unfold, with her mascarasmeared eyes and sweatstained underarms, it becomes strikingly obvious that her life is a mess, and one cannot help but feel sorry for her. Blanchett’s Oscar-worthy performance allows us to glimpse the fear, panic and vulnerability beneath Jasmine’s polished façade. That sense of sympathy doesn’t last for long though, as the film is set up in such a way that the audience’s feelings for Jasmine can change from one minute to the next. At the end of the day, it is not about whether you like Jasmine or not, in the same way that this film is not about whether Jasmine is complicit or not in her husband’s crimes. Blue Jasmine is about a character’s disintegration as she spirals out of control; a tragedy without catharsis.
KYveli short
SOPHIE HAMMOND
LOVE LOST FOR LOVELACE LINDA Lovelace, despite only appearing in a handful of films, was one of the most famous porn actresses of all time. Her starring role in the film Deep Throat, where the plot revolves around a woman whose clitoris is found to be in her throat, shot her to stratospheric levels of fame and kick-started the ‘Golden Age of Porn’. Behind the scenes though, Linda
Boreman (her real name) revealed that her life had been an unending torment of abuse, rape and forced prostitution, all of which was exacted by her husband,Chuck Traynor. The first half of the film (stylistically very similar to the excellent Boogie Nights) has what one may see as a typical rise-to-fame narrative. Boreman (played by Amanda Seyfried) is a young woman with a
domineering mother and passive father. She meets Chuck Traynor (Peter Sarsgaard) while go-go dancing. They marry quickly, move to New York, and she unwittingly auditions for what turns out to be the highest grossing porn film in history. She is shot to the top of celebrity superstardom. This scene concludes with Lovelace being unveiled at a gala screening of her film, seemingly happy and fulfilled. The reality was really quite different. The film then fast-forwards six years, to Boreman taking a polygraph test. She has written a memoir about her life which pushes some extremely serious charges and the publishers want to ensure that it is all true. A review of Lovelace is difficult; you have to review the film as a piece on its own, but you also have to review its adherence to the history of Linda Boreman’s life. As a film by itself, it is a decent watch. Seyfried, who will forever be remembered as the nice-butdim Karen Smith from Mean Girls
(2004), is at her best in this role. Peter Sarsgaard is suitably loathsome as her husband Chuck Traynor. The film has a very 70s inflected look, and for people who are initially unaware of the true story behind Linda Lovelace, the trick of retelling the story halfway through may prove effective. However, if you know the story of Linda Lovelace going into the film, I don’t feel there is anything to be gained from it. After the publication of her memoir, Ordeal, Boreman became, perhaps unwittingly, a spokesperson for the anti-porn movement that was popular at the time. The film appears to take the narrative stance that the porn industry was directly responsible for much of the abuse that Boreman suffered. In reality, if Boreman’s memoir is to be believed, the porn industry was actually responsible for taking her our of the abusive relationship she endured. The film omits the fact that she had
made porn films before Deep Throat. It omits too much detail, or worse, edits it, to be seen as a credible biopic. I do not usually crave rigid adherence to fact when it comes to historical drama, but with a subject this sensitive, I feel it is necessary. The fact is, the Linda Lovelace story is complex and cannot fit the traditional cinematic narrative this film tries to give it. Some would argue that this is necessary to make it more palatable (if such a story can be made so) for mainstream audiences. This may be true, as some of the things would be impossible to show. But in doing so, it may have done a disservice to the true story. Perhaps, ironically, the story of the biggest adult film star is something that can never be committed to film.
NICK BATLEY
FILM R OGUE
Music
THE KING’S RECORD CLASSICAL CENTRE LONDON has a wealth of classical music venues, but there are two that stand out for me. I’m a big opera fan, and basically watch every opera that goes on at the Royal Opera House main stage. The theatre is massive and the architecture beautiful. More importantly, ROH’s standard of performance is pretty much unparalleled (New York’s Met splurges more on sets, but the music here is phenomenal). I’ve recently been dedicating some time to ballet as well, and I particularly enjoy the intimate modern productions at the Linbury Theatre. The Barbican centre, on the other hand, is where I go for most symphonicand solo concerts, because the London Symphony Orchestra is brilliant and they tend to bring in every soloist I want to watch. I had the privilege of attending performances by Elīna Garanča, Cecilia Bartoli and Renée Fleming last year, and they were all breathtakingly brilliant. The best thing about Barbican is that it’s not just a concert area - there is usually a fascinating art exhibition somewhere in the centre, and occasionally there are flea markets too. In terms of travel, the closest station to ROH is Covent Garden, and Barbican has its own tube station (but is also close to several other tube stops like St Paul’s and Farringdon). As students, we obviously want to get the most affordable tickets possible. There’s a general misconception that tickets to operas and classical music concerts are
extravagant, but that’s not the case if you play it right. When going to the Royal Opera House, make sure to take note of public booking days for each season and book your tickets immediately. The £4 tickets disappear very quickly; they also do very good £12 standing tickets. Day standing tickets are available as well, if you’re willing to wake up really early to queue for them. ROH is also making great changes to their Student Standby scheme, so it may soon be possible to get better seats for student prices. Demand is extremely high, though. For the Barbican, the LSO does a student scheme where £4 tickets are available for selected concerts. There’s also an app for iPhone & Android called Student Pulse which basically aggregates all discounted classical music tickets for students - you buy your tickets through the app with your Paypal account. Otherwise, if you book online early, it is very possible to get tickets for £10-20. In terms of going out after, the Royal Opera house is in Covent Garden so there’s plenty to choose from, especially if you pop over to Soho nearby. Also, you’re spoilt for choice for pre-show food. Shake Shack just opened an outlet in Covent Garden! Post-show at the Barbican, everything closes in the centre, but head out and there are lots of pubs and bars in the Farringdon area. If you’re early in the area before the concert, Dose Espresso does fantastic coffee! •
WHEN I listen to the sublime intro of Helicopter by Bloc Party, I wonder what King’s was like back in 1999 when their lead singer, Kele Okereke, studied English here. When Bloc Party released their debut Silent Alarm, they sold over a million copies, which in my mind is as serious an achievement as anything among those of the alumnus. It has been rightfully marked by Kele’s face being put into a window on the Strand Campus among the other pioneers displayed there. So when I arrived at King’s a year ago, with a guitar in one hand and a synth in the other, I hoped that I would be jamming into the early hours, writing my magnum opus. As the weeks since freshers’ passed and my synth collected dust the in corner, I realised this dream wasn’t the reality. It was a disappointment, because like many people I would love to spend my life in the music industry, but higher education forces an element of realism upon us, and realistically having a career among other responsibilities after university, it will be too late to start a band. I don’t think I am alone. I think there are plenty of people out there who would like to have a shot at
the big time before they are locked into the complexities of adulthood. Despite this, there was no real scene or a formal place at the university for emerging musicians that I could find. I realised it was all up to me. I looked at the other societies at KCL, and it seemed like that kind of setup would be a great thing to make use of, a platform for musicians. It also had to be industry savvy and relevant, for what is really a very ambitious career path, no reservations. A functional institution but with the freedom that true creativity requires. Then I had the idea of starting The King’s Record. The name came quickly, and it seemed like somewhat of a statement, because I knew it might cause initial confusion with the of-
ficial King’s Student Records, but at this point all I had in my head was the need to start a record label for King’s students. It was easy to get started, with my friend Daisy from halls as administrator. Last year after going through the motions of getting the society ratified, we had to think about what form it would take. Initially I thought it might just be a society solely for musicians to meet other musicians. I wanted to dream big, though, and having had limited success with the small number that had signed up halfway through the year, it was time at freshers’ fair to get as many people on board as possible. As a society we have big aims beyond just getting musicians together, including a fortnightly single release, an end of year compilation album and a concert. I am excited to see if this is achievable, whether the society will ever release anything meaningful or big enough to stand up to Bloc Party’s standard. All I can ask you to do is watch this space, and in the meantime check out our first release, Swingers’by Slagcan. •
WilL KAY
RECORD TIMINGS, EH? LIVE @ NAMBUCCA, Holloway Road. Sat 12th, 7:30PM
THE Brighton three-piece power blues troupe explode on to the London scene. Close and corporeal tales of living. Supporting Sweet Jonny.
LIVE @ BRIXTON O2 ACADEMY Wed 30th, 8:00PM
CALIFORNIAN sirens bring the black-hole sun to London for a night. A polished live act, tickets almost sold out so get in quick!
Michelle tan
REFLEKTOR (ALBUM RELEASE) Mon 28th
“As a society we have
big aims beyond just getting musicians together”
LIVE @ SCALA
Wed 23rd, 7:00PM
STORMING psychedelic duo bring their beats and synth-driven live set to London. Worth checking out before they hit the big time.
THE exciting new album release from the notoriously consistent band. After such a meteoric rise over the last few years, will they headline Glastonbury?
musicreviews.rogue@gmail.com
ROAR! AT BESTIVAL 2013
BESTIVAL is a success story, going from a smaller operation to hitting the big league in only ten years. But has it retained its dignity? The Isle of White is still a quiet holiday retreat, but as soon as one of its many festivals comes around, it’s a place that I’m sure usual residents would like a retreat from. There is madness from the moment you step on to the ferry. Getting there by boat, it felt like we were crossing oceans rather than just the Solent. I didn’t know what to expect on the other side. Bestival is a sea of chemical-induced happiness, the reincarnation of the 90s rave scene mixed with a vibrant colour scheme. Let’s put it this way, when a beautiful girl asks you desperately for a
line, you know you’re not fishing take a look into her fishbowl eyes. When I finally got to the site on the Thursday, I was immediately surrounded by slurred voices, and strobes baptising the sky. The party had by then plateaued at a peak which it miraculously retained for the rest of the next 90 or so hours, until the end of the event. My first night experience was nothing odd: after using my press pass to have a quick snog with the giant inflatable Lionel Richie head in some kind of drunken haze, the last thing I can remember is lying paralytic on the floor outside the Big Top with “SLUT” written on my back. Yet despite my unfortunate vantage point, I was still able to deduce that MIA’s late set was terrible. Endless sub-bass drops marked
her entry into the long list of wannabe Beyoncés. More like a primary school DJ with too much attitude than the political warrior she used to be. This concerned the then-debilitated me: what would the rest of the heavily sub-bass music at the festival bring? Of course, there were big names this year, bigger than curators Rob and Josie da Bank have ever put on in previous years: try Elton John (whose classics set nodded it off in style) and Snoop Dogg. Returning the balance though, the mornings were delicate, people sat in their comedowns on the characteristically nautical site, which is a bold challenge to Glastonbury’s Shangri La. Smaller acts like Lloyd Yates eased us back into the rhythms of the day-
time. Theirs was a mature set. I had the privilege of speaking to Yates after, and he awakened me to the two-sided coin that Bestival is. “I am friends with Rob da Bank in London,” he said. “I started this band when I found out my partner was pregnant, I was out in Mexico, and I knew I had to get back to England and just go for it. Make the band work. And Rob has been incredibly helpful.” You can tell from the endless list of spectacular DJ sets that Rob da Bank is firmly rooted in the dance music scene. Yet in terms of live acts, the festival is still dedicated to a wealth of variety. This means it retains its integrity as an honest platform for artists, while providing a world-beating end of summer party.
Most notable of the ample dance stages was The Port. There stood an iron vessel amongst downtrodden fields, with blistering sets from the likes of Annie Mac Presents and Carl Cox. Pyro scorched thrills and a bellowing soundsystem. The lineup was cleverly well-balanced. Spectacles like Wu-Tang Clan (I can confirm that they are indeed “nothing to fuck with”) and Chic, were held in the light, meaning you could go from watching big names to unknown bands with ease. This was made more manageable by a medium-sized arena, relatively easy to get around. Since getting bigger, bringing you everything all the time is what this festival has become about. It does it with style! •
Joe brookes
COCOROSIE LIVE @ OVAL SPACE
LAST Monday I went down to Oval Space, Hackney, to see the wonderfully eclectic Cocorosie, pioneers of ‘freak folk’. A converted warehouse overlooking stunning gas-holders to the rear, Oval Space opened just last year as a venue dedicated to live music and performance art. The fan demographic for Cocorosie was hard to pin down, but I finally decided that there was an almost hippy-but-not-quite-hipster vibe to it all. TThe thing I like about Cocorosie is that they put energy into their performances as an art form, rather than just music. The stage was riddled with various items, as if a dress-up box had exploded. On top of a chest of drawers was a rickety old mirror (oddly facing the audience), to the side a washing line of mismatched clothes, and on the floor indiscernible exotic instruments: organized chaos. After much anticipation, the band entered wearing prison convict outfits. From a visual point of view, we see four figures. There was Takuya,
wearing a sun hat and a green face, who plays keys and trumpet. Beatbox Tez, fluorescent tears falling down his face, creating guttural noises and busy hip-hop beats. Sierra, the elder of the Cassady sisters and trained as an opera singer at Paris Conservatoire, resembles an ethereal witch with long raven hair falling to the floor. And finally Bianca, sporting a heavily exaggerated chola face-paint (angry eyebrows, dark lip liner) whose presence is intense and penetrative. hey opened with End of Time, comprising of a polarized texture: low drum machine bass contrast with high blaring synths. The lyrics give you an insight into the sisters’ secret world: “The Babes/ The Guns/ The Waste/ The Punks/ I don’t need no human friends”. The sisters believe in ‘Mother Earth’ and, although not at all Christian, sing “God, She speaks to me” in R.I.P. Appropriately, Sierra’s soaring melodies combined with her hand gestures towards the sky make out
as though she is speaking to a higher being. As with many great artists, Cocorosie make their songs continuous in live performances, which allows the atmosphere to be retained. Takuya plays spacey keyboard scales whilst both Sierra and Bianca get changed in front of the mirror. Now wearing flowing white wedding dresses, they change their make-up to accommodate for the red lighting: Sierra looks like a ‘rainbow warrior’, her face enshrouded in neon colours, and Bianca has two simple war stripes across her cheeks. Behind the sisters are psychedelic visual tessellations as they sing ‘After the Afterlife’. Behind the sisters are psychedelic visual tessellations as they sing After the Afterlife. Bianca’s infantile but haunting voice draws us in, with odd lyrics like “wet snails get wetter”. Her eyes are closed as if no one is watching her, but her face is in fact projected onto a screen behind in kaleidoscopic visions. Beatbox Tez finally comes out of
the shadows and shows off his unbelievable talents. A cacophony of sound comes from one just his throat, with high clicks superimposed and thudding basslines down below. As the room blackens, the crowd is surrounded by darkness. Fragments of an old tape play a horse neighing- it’s the only noise piercing the silence. Sierra emerges with an Arabian-inspired jeweled veil on her face; both visually and musically it is evident that Cocorosie are heavily influenced by oriental melodies and MiddleEastern fashions. In Far Away, Sierra demonstrates her staggering vocal range and uses a looping device to record her effortless legato lines on top of one another- separated by the smallest of intervals, they all clash to form hauntingly beautiful harmonies. Finally, she is joined by Bianca whispering “R.I.P. Humans”. This is classic Cocorosie: juxtaposing evocative hip-hop beats with ominous, hard-hitting truths about the society they live in,which is “ruled by the patriarchy”, as they say in a recent
Music
interview on feminism. The two sisters are polar opposites on stage. Separated at an early age, Sierra is full of positive energy and bounces around with a child-like innocence, whereas Bianca is an introverted creative. However, when they come together, an unusual ensemble of sound is created, always heartfelt and thought provoking. Cocorosie finish with Werewolf, a longstanding favourite of mine. For the first time, Bianca and Sierra interact with one another, singing “Ride into the sunset/Look back with no remorse”. Cocorosie’s energy is hard to pinpoint in descriptive terms: otherworldly, emotionally raw and darkly spiritual. As I have experienced, the only way to truly grasp the weird world in which their minds work is to see them live. Only then can we understand the ‘secret garden’ in which their musical world grows and flourishes. •
oscar king
ARTS & THEATRE BORED OF THE BARD?
@Roar_Rogue artstheatre.rogue@gmail.com
Ah Shakespeare, the well loved English icon of brilliant drama. With productions all over London, both traditional and modern, Rogue is presenting you the flavours of Shakespeare you can experience around our capital city.
NAy my Lord
Ay, forsooth SHAKESPEARE is often remembered as the writer of timeless classics. His plays transcend the eras in which they were written, still being relevant to modern theatregoers today. Maybe this is why Nicholas Hynter’s reimaging of Othello works so well. His vision of setting the play in the present day, changing the Medieval landscapes to the more familiar war zones we often see on the news is, at first, startling to any seasoned admirer of the bard’s work. But to Hynter’s credit, the Elizabethan language never jars against the moving set pieces of suave government offices or the army camouflage costumes. Instead, the English verse flows and mirrors the twenty-first century setting effortlessly. Especially audacious is Hynter’s handling of the issue of social status. In one spectacular scene when the overlooked senator, Brabantio, comes to castigate Othello for marrying his daughter, Hynter has the General Othello and his men dressed in slick suits and ties, while Brabantio’s set of hooligan-like followers are dressed in illfitting chinos and creased polo shirts. Equally brilliant is Hynter’s cast. Adrian Lester is extraordinary in the titular role. His stage presence is remarkable, being strong and stark in the earlier moments and then suddenly crude and unhinged as Othello succumbs to Iago’s plans in the final acts of the play. Rory Kinnear as Iago commands the audience just as his character commands the rest of the characters on stage. His East London twang adds a certain quirkiness, eliciting an electric mix of laughter and fear from the spectators. Olivia Vinall brings strength and courage to
Desdemona, moving away from the common characterisation of Shakespeare’s heroine being a fragile and vulnerable young girl. Broadchurch’s Jonathan Bailey gets the chance to show of his impressive acting range as Cassio, while Lyndsey Marshal is underwhelming as the feisty Emilia, becoming drowned by the tremendous acting talent sharing the stage with her. Hynter’s decision to tamper with Shakespeare’s original conception of the play should be applauded, if only for the way the director assertively takes risks without damaging the source material. As the story comes hurtling towards its tragic climax, one realises how much incredible talent fills the stage in this production and how important Hynter’s re-imaging of the story is in adding a touch of originality to this classic tale. When his time as director of the National Theatre ends in 2015, it will be a difficult task for his successor to fill his shoes.
MOOR or less. Othello doesn’t end well, but this contempory production at the Olivier Theatre doesn’t start well either, with Rory Kinnear (Iago) reprising his father Roy’s blokeney accent, to jeer at Brabantio’s window. “An old black ram tupping your white ewe” works when set midMed long ago. But here in 21st century Britain, the scene is both racist and ridiculous. And so this “circumcised dog” of a production hobbles on, with Desdemona (Olivia Vinall) pandemonic in urchinchic pedal pushers and grubby plimsolls, a flirty kid, coquetting round her gentle Obamaish General (Adam Lester). His joy in his pretty new blonde bride is soon soured by scheming, despicable Iago, lumbering in Estuary “O! beware, my lord, of jealousy; It is the green-ey’d monster which doth mock the meat it feeds on”. The only time his Corporal thuggishness feels right is when he suckers Cassio into the fight that becomes a mess-room brawl. With restlessness, as the scenes unfold,
othello NICK VIRK
comes the realisation that Nicholas Hytner’s Gangland-style boot-camp is never going to fly. Nor does the music (ugly discords off) help soften Vicki Mortimer’s set. Harsh neon in an army portacabin frames the action, to become (cleverly) Desdemona’s council house bedroom. But surely not? Desdemona’s dad is a nobleman, not a dustman. Try as they might, Othello unravelling in Bardic prose and transplanted into modern fatigues, fatigues the audience. Even crazed by revenge, this Iago never wins the loathing that theatre lovers have for villains, even though Iago is the greatest of them all. It didn’t need to be so. Kinnear and Lester are such fine actors, but not under this direction. Their unconvincing grappling would never happen now. Blubbing Othello in command of an army jars for the audience, and the interval comes not a moment too soon. Then, at the warning gong, the sudden insight that to sit through Round Two could be one tragedy avoided. Leave the Moor “to die upon a kiss”. Instead, ponder at the bar,whether setting Othello in our present isn’t a military blunder? Hytner leaves all too soon. He needs to put this right before he goes.
JOHN STONBOROUGH Although Othello is ending on 5 October, the National Theatre’s Hamlet with Kinnear in the titular role will be screened live at King’s (Arts & Humanities festival) for part of the NT’s 50th anniversary. Anatomy Lecture Theatre – 22 October – 19.00-22.00, tickets are £10 and include a free glass of wine.
ARTS EDITOR, JESSICA’S VERDICT: Othello didn’t blow me away like I wanted it to. I just didn’t gel with the modern setting and Kinnear’s ‘I’m Daaaany-Faaaackin’-Dyaaa’ cockney accent - can’t put my finger on why, but I just didn’t click with the production. For me, star of the show was Lyndesy Marshall as Emilia. Stonkingly Good. Tom Robertson as Roderigo was also a glimmer of light relief in an otherwise disjointed show.
@jessmoffattowen
a midsummer night’s dream
By Jessica Moffatt-Owen APPROACHING the Noel Coward theatre, I was excited - Sheridan Smith and David Walliams in the same production? I had an inkling it was going to be a bit of alright. What I wasn’t prepared for was actually laughing out loud, hysterically, by myself (bit awkward but I couldn’t restrain myself). Walliams as Bottom was sheer joy - outrageously camp in his ‘relationship’ with Peter Quince and embodying a ‘theatrical type’ - arrogant, bossy and proud. A com-
bination made for a Shakespearean comedy. Smith as Titania is a sex machine, overtly sensual and insatiable, her relationship with Bottom is one of sassiness and sauciness - and of course, he’s an ass: cue raucous laughter. One moment that I think will be permanently etched upon my retina is Walliams with enormous, scruffy, flopping ears persistently thrusting, and a bare legged Sheridan Smith, while her cackle of pure filth reverberates around the theatre. Bizarre, but hilarious. Are you thinking this production sounds like it could be any old production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream? Think again. Michael Grandage has set the play in the hedonistic era of the 60s or 70s, and seems to embody the ethos of sex (so much sex, between all the lovers’ trysts: Lysander, Helena, Hermia and Demetrius all run about in their underwear for the majority of the performance), drugs (so many spliffs being smoked in the fairies’ den of iniquity) and rock’n’roll (or
rather, songs inspired by the musical Hair). Highlight? The side-splittingly funny ‘play-within-the-play’ - Walliams excels himself, but combined with Craig Vye as Snug the Joiner and Henry Everett as Tom Snout, I have never openly laughed so hard. Nearly spilt my red wine and everything. For the ladies: both Paidraic Delaney (Oberon) and Gavin Fowler (Puck) conduct their mischievous match-making and plot orchestration bare chested, providing plenty of eye candy. Overall? Shakespeare has been made sexy. Seriously, seriously sexy. I came away thinking it was a bloody nearon faultless production and can’t recommend it enough.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Noel Coward Theatre, until 16th November, with limited daily £10 tickets.
Lee Watkins interviewed Katherine Kingsley (Helena) and Stefano Braschi (Demetrius) for Rogue...
Lee: How do you do deal with the language? Shakespeare is notoriously difficult. Katherine: When it’s done well, when you’re listening in rehearsal to people who are doing it well, it doesn’t feel difficult or hard to understand. I think if the actor absolutely knows what they’re saying and has the ability to facilitate it, it becomes quite effortless actually. Stefano: It should be effortless, which isn’t always the same as cutting the edges off to make it sound more like what you would say. You just need to know where the thought’s coming from and if the actor knows and is doing it comfortably and naturally, that you can read. L: I’d be interested to hear your take on the crazy behaviour that happens. It’s
a bit psychotic [for Helena] to pursue [Demetrius, who is pursuing Hermia] into the woods, isn’t it? K: That’s what love does, isn’t it? It does make people behave in a not necessarily sane way. Helena is driven by her heart. S: Love is so crazy that even the fairies, who are in pretty good control of the humans, get a bit ahead of themselves and get it wrong. L: What is different about this production from previous productions of A Midsummer Night’s Dream? It’s a very popular play and I’d love to hear about what you’ve done differently with it. K: It’s a quite physical production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Also the music, with the Ringham brothers doing the music and the set designers… it’s really quite amazing. The elements of that are going to be really cool. S: It’s not going to be people in electric suits doing interpretive dance or anything like that! Read the full interview online at roarnews.co.uk
JOIN THE CIRCUS OF HORRORS: COMPETITION TIME! THE Circus of Horrors storms into London’s Lyric Theatre with what is undoubtedly its greatest show to date. The show that smashed into the finals of Britain’s Got Talent is back with an awe-inspiring rock ‘n’ roller-coaster of a show that flies like a bat out of hell to celebrate an astounding 18 years of shock ‘n’ roll.
The story twists and turns through five murders committed at various London landmarks, each one becoming more and more horrific - all intermingled with some of the greatest, most daring, bizarre & beautiful circus acts on earth.
There’s a great sense of the familiar when you encounter Richard Serra’s work, which I feel I can say, despite the fact I’ve only encountered it once – when I wheezed up the glorious marble steps of the Courtauld to Room 8. Here, Richard Serra has made a series of what the critics are calling “extraordinary” drawings housed in a special installation for our Strand next door neighbour. He seems familiar, perhaps, because his large-scale, often steel sculptures (for which he is most famous) pop up in cities across the world. These stacked towering sheets and reddening ellipses that seem to make a god of industry aren’t just in galleries, but often appear as environmental art, accessible to the public. One such piece is Fulcrum, built in 1987 at Liverpool Station, 55ft of Cor-Ten steel and what might be the biggest communal thing for local city boys to not give a damn about pissing on, aside from our economy. Champagned up bankers incapable of finding a nearby toilet aside, Richard Serra is widely renowned and appreciated for these works, without question inspired by his time working in the ship yards of San Francisco, although his drawing and video work is also fêted. This new exhibition at the Courtauld is, however, a departure from all of his previous work, in that he has invented an entirely new technique. Reading the confusing annotation at the door of the room and by pestering one of the attendants in the gallery, I found out that Serra uses sheets of a new type of plastic (Mylar- it looks a bit like Acetate) and melted, black litho crayon with which he coats two sheets, then
What year was The Circus of Horrors born?
‘Like the Rocky Horror show on acid’ – Amanda Holden ‘Bloody good night out’ – The Times
A) B) C)
The Circus of Horrors is not suitable for children as it contains some nudity and bad language.
Richard Serra Phillipa Swallow tells us about Serra’s new exhibit at Strand’s next door neighbour, the Courtauld Gallery.
You could win a pair of tickets to come and see The Circus of Horrors at the Lyric Theatre in London. To be in with a chance of winning, just answer the following question correctly.
From sword swallowers to daredevil balancing acts… From hair hangers to demon dwarfs… From a pickled person to astounding aerial acts… All performed with a forked tongue firmly in each cheek by an almighty cast, to the devil-driven rock ‘n’ roll of Dr Haze & The Interceptors from Hell.
presses both against a clear sheet and uses a stylus to scrape the reverse side, before peeling away the outer layers to give the final image. The result is something so surprisingly myriad, what the curator describes as a “visual complexity and uncertainty”, partly because of this layer we never see, which lies flat against the wall. There is a texture in each drawing that is truly groundbreaking. It seems to evoke so many things at once: lichen, an oil slick, diamonds, mascara, a cliff face, velvet. For all their simplicity, they have that same powerful, compelling property of Anish Kapoor’s textural work,
Email your answer to: arts. artstheatre.rogue@gmail.com Full Terms and Conditions on roarnews.co.uk
19 September 2013 – 12 January 2014 Free for KCL students 10-6pm every day.
“What might be the biggest communal thing for local city boys to not give a damn about pissing on, aside from our economy.”
the desire to reach out and understand better what the eye thinks it sees. The shapes conjure images like Rorschach tests; you can see tombstones, gasometers, Babi Yar, beasts in the blackness. You see everything and nothing, infinity and the void, the industrial and the organic. Our faces are reflected in multifaceted reflective surfaces of the wax, in the plastic. This exhibit is quite accessible (especially if you’re on the Strand campus) and digestible (there are only 12 paintings), Serra seems to allow for this interaction whether
HAPPY REDOUBT ROBOT RACING
1994 1995 1998
his work is hanging in front of you or over you. I came across his curling sculpture The Matter of Time in the Guggenheim Bilbao without knowing anything about him or it, a massive sprawling thing where you can hide and run (and frighten Spanish teenagers by hiding round corners and jumping out unexpectedly if you want to), touching the rusting patina of the steel, engaging how you please. Having said that, one of his works got graffitied with lipstick recently and he didn’t like that so much, so best not to do it. I find his work has such appeal from staggering sculptures that, like ocean liners, cut through the conscious inspiring ore - to these simply complex drawings hanging right next door.
Also Sunday Tours From Cézanne to Serra: Pushing Boundaries and Challenging Conventions Sunday 22 and 29 September, 2, 6 and 13 October 2013, 15.00 - 15.45
THE BEST OF THE REST
KING’S ARTS & HUMANITIES FESTIVAL
Part of the Arts and Humanities Festival at King’s. Suggested by: William Jellis River Room – 16 October – 20.00-21.00 What a name for an event! Surely this is reason alone to go along! Literally, there will be racing robots, RACING ROBOTS! This event is open to all but booking is required. In order to book, go online to the Arts and Humanities Festival page on the King’s website.
Willam Jellis’ top pick. Drawing Life
Anatomy Lecture Theatre – 17 & 18 October. Whether you fancy yourself as a bit of an art guru, or if you are a complete novice (like me), this event is guaranteed to be a good time. Essentially it is a life drawing class, but what is particularly exciting is that the class will be led by Dilip Sur, who teaches at the Royal College of Art, exhibits at the Grosvenor Gallery in London, and collaborated with the King’s research project on John Berger. I mean, unless your uncle is Damien Hirst, how often do you get the chance to paint alongside an internationally respected artist? There will be three life drawing sessions during the Festival:17 October 2013 – (14.30 – 17.00), 18 October 2013 – (15.00 – 17.30 & 18.30 – 21.00) This event is open to all but booking is required. In order to book, go online to the Arts and Humanities Festival page on the King’s website.
GHOSTS
Suggested by: Ali Pantony Where? Rose Theatre, Kingston When? Until 12th October How much? Varying, but with student concession tickets What? Ibsen classic, remodelled by Stephen Unwin and inspired by artist Edvard Munch. Read Ali’s full review online
BLUE STOCKINGS
Suggested by: Camilla BrandfieldHarvey Where? Globe, Southbank When? Until 11th October How much? 700 £5 tickets for every performance What? A struggle for a female’s right for education. Read Camilla’s full review online
Discover more about the display and our permanent collection in these talks led by Courtauld academic Dr Katie Faulkner. Free with admission.
Phillipa Swallow
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ARTS & THEATRE
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