News
UEA to introduce blended learning after Easter
The University of East Anglia plans to resume teaching on Monday 26 April with a mix of in-person sessions and continued online learning. With c...
BREAKING NEWS
Main Stories
Less than 5 in 50 cases of rape or sexual misconduct ‘found proven’ in past two years at UEA
50 people have reported rape or sexual misconduct in the past two years at the University of East Anglia. With 2 accusations of rape and 48 accusation...
News
Norwich Police Commissioner Candidate Shares Xenophobic Views
Would-be Norwich Chief of police, David Moreland, has made xenophobic comments causing him to be branded “completely unsuitable” for the role. The ind...
News
Coronavirus update 12/04
The AstraZeneca vaccine remains under investigation for its potential role in blood clots observed among recipients of the jabs. Its use has been rest...
News
Nation celebrated Easter
Although coronavirus measures prevented many Easter celebrations from taking place in the UK, many of the planned services and events were moved onlin...
Main Stories
Duke of Edinburgh dies aged 99
Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, has died at the age of 99. A statement from the Royal Family issued this morning announced that the Duke had ‘pa...
News
Homeless given priority in vaccination effort – Health Secretary
Homeless people are to be prioritised in the vaccination effort, Health Secretary Matt Hancock has announced, based on the fact they are more likely t...
News
Coronavirus
The Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine is under investigation by the WHO following its use being put on hold in 11 European countries. The decision was made a...
News
Hate Crime Bill passed by MSPs
Members of the Scottish Parliament have voted by 82 to 32 to pass the Scottish Government’s controversial hate crime bill. The Hate Crime and Pu...
TRENDING
News
UEA to introduce blended learning after Easter
The University of East Anglia plans to resume teaching on Monday 26 April with a mix of in-person sessions and continued online learning. With changing government restrictions, UEA has prepared to accommodate a partial return to in-person teaching. However, students who are continuing with online learning are encouraged to stay at home until restrictions change...
Arts
Interview with Youtube’s u m a m i
Justin Tomchuk, AKA u m a m i, is one of YouTube’s rising stars. At 252K subscribers and counting, he makes moody, surreal animations that draw on everything from classic advertisements, fine art and sci-fi to Thomas the Tank Engine and Campbell’s Cream of Chicken Soup. He does the bulk of the art and animation...
Main Stories
Less than 5 in 50 cases of rape or sexual misconduct ‘found proven’ in past two years at UEA
50 people have reported rape or sexual misconduct in the past two years at the University of East Anglia. With 2 accusations of rape and 48 accusations of sexual misconduct, UEA has found less than 5 ‘proven’ through their disciplinary procedures (UEA states they can’t report the specific number if less than 5 for privacy...
Features
How Call of Duty saved my life
Everyone had a different reaction to lockdown. Some people did daily quizzes, some people baked copious amount of banana bread, some people tried to learn an instrument before watching Netflix instead. I had two reactions. First, I fell even deeper into a depression. Second, I became obsessed with Call of Duty, and most especially, Call...
Science
Plastic times call for drastic measures
Plastics have taken the world by storm ever since their invention in 1869. They have made material wealth more easily accessible, provided practical solutions to shortages in natural resources through wars, and, astonishingly, were even hailed as being an environmentally friendly resource (as they could easily imitate things like ivory, horns and tortoiseshell). Nowadays, the...
Comment
Gradu-cancellation
Despite the UK’s lockdown restrictions lifting on 21st June, UEA have made the decision to postpone graduation – again. The Class of 2021 will be the second cohort to miss out on a graduation ceremony after the Class of 2020 ceremony was postponed as a result of the first lockdown in late March. Soon-to-be graduates...
News
Norwich Police Commissioner Candidate Shares Xenophobic Views
Would-be Norwich Chief of police, David Moreland, has made xenophobic comments causing him to be branded “completely unsuitable” for the role. The independent candidate running for of Police and Crime Commissioner has recently stated, when asked what action he would like to see against female victimisation after the Sarah Everard murder, that “The vast majority...
Comment
The Police: A ‘service’ or a force?
Following Sarah Everard’s murder in March, the police’s tactical response was evidently a disproportionate response to the situation where members of the crowd were arrested and forced to the ground. Intended as a respectful vigil and communities coming together to mourn Sarah’s passing, it cannot be described as a rambunctious or disruptive protest. Yet, the...
Comment
Good old student news: why it’s worth reading
This may come as a shock, but Concrete pages may be worth more than a provisional doormat. They can also be used for papier mache projects, or wet shoes fillers to soak up rainwater. As for the words on the pages, if they are still legible after this treatment, why would you choose to read...
SENIOR EDITORS
Sam Hewitson – Editor-In-Chief
Matt Branston – Co-Deputy Editor
William Warnes – Co-Deputy Editor
VENUE
Arts
Interview with Youtube’s u m a m i
Justin Tomchuk, AKA u m a m i, is one of YouTube’s rising stars. At 252K subscribers and counting, he makes moody, surreal animations that draw on everything from classic advertisements, fine art and sci-fi to Thomas the Tank Engine and Campbell’s Cream of Chicken Soup. He does the bulk of the art and animation...
Fashion
The best of Glossier (from a self-confessed Glossier obsessive)
When a rare 50% off Glossier discount was leaked a few weeks ago, social media went into a veritable meltdown. Friends feverishly passed the code around Whatsapp group chats; friends of friends retweeted it to their followers on Twitter. The code in question, aptly titled ‘friendsofglossier’, got you 50% off everything at checkout – unheard...
Books
The White-Washing of Dark Academia
Recently, the Dark Academia aesthetic has resurfaced and has become popularised in the reading lists of many. It seems the global pandemic has urged people into feeling a sense of nostalgia, driving them to romanticise and imagine a world free from COVID-19. However, Dark Academia seems to prioritise literary works that manifest non-realistic representations, often...
Fashion
From filters to fillers: plastic surgery in the public eye
Plastic surgery is a controversial debate, but should we look to hold social media accountable for exacerbating people’s desire to undergo it? My stance is firm: absolutely. Let’s talk about filters. Social media giants Snapchat and Instagram are a huge part of our daily lives. With the click of a button on these apps, a...
Gaming
Console Scalping
Picture this: the brand new PS5 launches, you click onto the Game website to pre-order, and all copies are out of stock within the first 10 minutes of being launched. You ask yourself: who could possibly be so quick and greedy to buy all the PS5s? Also known as ‘scalping’, teenagers used bots to buy...
Books
You’re allowed to not like Rupi Kaur, but that doesn’t mean she isn’t a poet
As I sit at home researching Rupi Kaur, one of the most successful poets of all time, I glance over to my bookshelf and see a copy of ‘Milk and Honey’, her first collection of poems. Full disclosure, I had completely forgotten that I owned the anthology, but as I pick it up to flick...
EDITORIALS
EDITOR
New week, new writing, new website04/08/2020
DEPUTY EDITORS
Exceeding expectations04/08/2020
Taylor Swift, Alan Shearer, and me: learning ...04/08/2020
CONCRETE
GLOBAL
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Global
Conflict in Myanmar continues to escalate
The situation in Myanmar has escalated dramatically since our last report, with the Burma Coordinator for the Alternative ASEAN Network, Debbie Stotha...
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Global
Brazil’s faces new Government Crisis
The heads of Brazil’s armed forces simultaneously resigned last week, in protest of the president’s firing of the defence secretary, Fernando Azevedo ...
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Global
British journalists forced to leave China
Senior BBC journalist John Sudworth and his wife Yvonne Murray, a journalist for Ireland’s RTÉ news, have left China after mounting safety concerns. M...
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Global
UK cuts aid to Syria by a third
Foreign secretary, Dominic Raab, has announced a cut in aid to the Syrian refugee programme by almost a third at a United Nations donor conference. Th...
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Global
Global Investigates: Turkey’s withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention highlights UK failure to ratify the international women’s rights treaty
In the 12-hour period following Turkey’s withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention, six women were killed. At least 28 women were killed in February 202...
FEATURES
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Features
How Call of Duty saved my life
Everyone had a different reaction to lockdown. Some people did daily quizzes, some people baked copious amount of banana bread, some people tried to l...
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Features
No Graduation Ceremony: the wait goes on
According to the late Terry Pratchet, “ritual and ceremony in their due times kept the world under the sky and the stars in their courses.” So what ha...
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Features
Everyone’s Invited: An Overdue Conversation About Sexual Misconduct in Education
Founded by student Somo Sara in June 2020, website ‘Everyone’s Invited’ has sparked an overdue conversation about sexual misconduct in education. Publ...
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Features
I learned to ignore cat callers— you should too
My opinion on street harassment has changed. The first time I can remember getting catcalled was when I was seventeen. I was walking through Brighton,...
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Features
Post-Lockdown Anxiety: It’s real
This month officially marks one year since the UK Government announced the first national lockdown to prevent the spread of Covid-19. As of today, the...
COMMENT
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Comment
Gradu-cancellation
Despite the UK’s lockdown restrictions lifting on 21st June, UEA have made the decision to postpone graduation – again. The Class of 2021 will b...
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Comment
The Police: A ‘service’ or a force?
Following Sarah Everard’s murder in March, the police’s tactical response was evidently a disproportionate response to the situation where members of ...
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Comment
Good old student news: why it’s worth reading
This may come as a shock, but Concrete pages may be worth more than a provisional doormat. They can also be used for papier mache projects, or wet sho...
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Comment
Schools aren’t safe for unvaccinated teachers
Despite the phased returning of pupils to school this week, teachers have been left out of the priority groups for a Covid-19 vaccine. Earlier this we...
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Comment
Boris Johnson’s route to freedom will be a success
After a lot of uncertainty over the past year, we finally have a roadmap out of lockdown. This time, we have a vaccine being rolled out. After three l...
SCIENCE
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Science
Plastic times call for drastic measures
Plastics have taken the world by storm ever since their invention in 1869. They have made material wealth more easily accessible, provided practical s...
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Science
Gut microbiome disruption links to certain Parkinson’s disease symptoms
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative condition that results in the loss of brain cells responsible for secreting the neurotrans...
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Science
One small step too far into sci-fi?
Artificial intelligence has consistently cropped up in science fiction for decades. As science continues to advance, we are getting closer to making m...
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Science
Long Covid –is it all in the genes?
Cambridge scientists are studying whether our genes play an important part in determining who develops long Covid and who is spared. Vertigo, extreme ...
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Science
What biases are in our healthcare systems?
Considering that healthcare has dominated the headlines, ruled our social media feeds and lingered in our conscience for the last 12 months, now is no...
TRAVEL
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Travel
Why I Travel
I’ve never been able to fathom why anyone would want to stay in the same place for their entire life. Of course, everyone’s entitled to do whatever ma...
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Travel
A quick portrait of ecotourism
The International Ecotourism Society (TIES) defines ecotourism as “responsible travel to natural areas that conserve the environment, sustains the wel...
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Travel
Experiencing the hidden gems of Dublin, Ireland
Oftentimes when we think about the various places we want to travel to, it’s the destinations closest to us that get left behind and underappreciated....
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Travel
Are overrated tourist attractions worth visiting?
Times Square. Taj Mahal. The Eiffel Tower. The Leaning Tower of Pisa. We all know them. Many of us have probably visited them. Famous tourist hot spot...
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Lifestyle
Cấm Sơn Lake: A Taste of Vietnam’s Natural Beauty
If you’re looking to experience the beautiful natural landscape of Vietnam without the swarms of tourists, overpriced food and local scammers which ar...
SPORT
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Sport
Anti-Social Media: Will a Boycott Help?
The players and staff of Championship side Swansea City are set to boycott social media for one week. This decision was taken following a number of fo...
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Sport
Two More Years of Hurt Await
David Baddiel and Frank Skinner must love the fact that ‘Three Lions: Its Coming Home’ will continue to make the charts every two years for the rest o...
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Sport
Is the Future of Motorsport Electric?
Yes. Of course it is. With a finite amount of fossil fuels left on this Earth, one day we will inevitably have to set aside our love for watching petr...
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Sport
Injuries may be Temporary, but their Ramifications can be Permanent
Injuries are part and parcel of playing sports, with tennis elbow, torn ligaments and back pains among the most common injuries explored in TV shows o...
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Sport
Woman in the Middle
Rebecca Welch. Remember the name. Recently, Welch made history, becoming the first female referee appointed to officiate a game in the English Footbal...
VENUE
ARTS
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Arts
Interview with Youtube’s u m a m i
Justin Tomchuk, AKA u m a m i, is one of YouTube’s rising stars. At 252K subscribers and counting, he makes moody, surreal animations that draw on eve...
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Arts
Galleries in lockdown: visiting virtual exhibits
Coronavirus has certainly had a devastating impact on the art scenes worldwide, with galleries having to close their doors for months at a time. The w...
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Arts
This painting reminds me of my childhood: Monet’s Water Lily Pond
“The Water Lily Pond” is an 1899 work by the impressionist painter, Claude Monet. It comprises background trees, a weeping willow, a bridge and a pond...
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Arts
Paris’s Musee d’Orsay undergoes renaming
The Musée d’Orsay in Paris has been renamed the Musée d’Orsay-Valéry Giscard d’Estaing. This name change is in honour of the late Valéry Giscard d’Est...
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Arts
Maria Fragoso: the modern-day Frida Kahlo
There aren’t many artists who have had the honour of being compared to the icon that was Frida Kahlo. There are even fewer artists who have actually l...
BOOKS
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Books
Review: ‘We Were Liars’ by E. Lockhart
When I began reading ‘We Were Liars’ by E. Lockhart, I was full of hope, looking forward to a story of mystery, intrigue and secrets. This hope quickl...
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Books
Review: ‘The Beat Goes On’ (The complete Rebus short stories) by Ian Rankin
For many people, a long novel is a treat. But I’ve often found it hard to get through larger books, so when I was recommended to read Ian Rankin for m...
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Books
The White-Washing of Dark Academia
Recently, the Dark Academia aesthetic has resurfaced and has become popularised in the reading lists of many. It seems the global pandemic has urged p...
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Books
You’re allowed to not like Rupi Kaur, but that doesn’t mean she isn’t a poet
As I sit at home researching Rupi Kaur, one of the most successful poets of all time, I glance over to my bookshelf and see a copy of ‘Milk and Honey’...
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Books
Literature and the allure of suffering
A while ago, I was talking to my friend about whether suffering came with rewards. She had just been offered her dream job after months of struggle in...
CREATIVE WRITING
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Creative Writing
Methods of Running in the Race to the Grave
I hear them now as I heard them before, Like winter’s raindrops, whistling past my ears These hymns pour through my spirit And they fall, through dens...
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Creative Writing
A Safe Space
Therapy always began with a silence, the kind of dreadful silence that was desperate to speak. They asked him how he felt. He panicked. He always pani...
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Creative Writing
Beneath Silence
Silence is the cruelest weapon You teach her to swallow back tears Master the art of snide and contempt Fight fire with fire, burn f...
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Creative Writing
Song
Come to this spectacle of pleasure And hear the circus shrieks, Its all pretend Because what you think means more to me Than all the satiny satisfacti...
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Creative Writing
A Month in the Country
Tuesday 24th March They announced it last night. We have to shut ourselves into our own homes and not see anybody. I can go for a walk for an hour a d...
FASHION
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Fashion
The best sustainable period products for all budgets
Reducing our single use plastic consumption is something we should all be trying to do wherever possible, especially when it comes to period products....
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Fashion
The best of Glossier (from a self-confessed Glossier obsessive)
When a rare 50% off Glossier discount was leaked a few weeks ago, social media went into a veritable meltdown. Friends feverishly passed the code arou...
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Fashion
From filters to fillers: plastic surgery in the public eye
Plastic surgery is a controversial debate, but should we look to hold social media accountable for exacerbating people’s desire to undergo it? My stan...
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Fashion
The rise of the Y2K aesthetic
The phrase ‘Y2K aesthetic’ refers to all things 2000s nostalgia and, at present, it’s enjoying a bit of a renaissance, resonating in particular with y...
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Fashion
Tik-Tok’s damaging haul culture
Tik Tok hauls are consumerist and damaging. We’ve all heard the phrase ‘Tik Tok made me buy it’ but I wonder if this is downplaying ...
FILM
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Film
Concrete at BFI Flare
Representation, in all forms, is perhaps one of cinema’s most important tasks. Cinema is a platform that allows for individuals from around the world ...
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Film
What to Watch: April
A not so very long time ago in an office far, far away…from everyone, I sat down and thought about what films I have indulged in over the past few wee...
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Film
Essential viewing: LGBTQ+ films
As a queer girl and a film lover, finding movies that tell the stories of the LGBTQ+ community always makes me very happy. Here are some of my favouri...
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Film
Zack Snyder's Justice League
I love a cinematic event. They’d been sorely missing during COVID thus far. At first, the announcement of the Snyder Cut’s release prompted little mor...
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Film
#releasethesnydercut: Should We Care?
The year was 2017 and Warner Bros. had just released its DC superhero team up epic, Justice League. An orange, CGI mess of a film with rushed story li...
GAMING
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Gaming
Console Scalping
Picture this: the brand new PS5 launches, you click onto the Game website to pre-order, and all copies are out of stock within the first 10 minutes of...
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Gaming
A Brief History of the Zelda Empire
The Legend of Zelda games have become something of a household staple. Zelda, having been around for over thirty-four years, is one of the most popula...
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Gaming
The Best AAA Games
Fire Emblem: Three Houses As a big fan of indie games, I rarely play AAA titles. The Call of Dutys and GTAs haven’t ever really appealed to me that mu...
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Gaming
Why I find it hard to unwind when playing video games
I love games; at one point, I’d even say I was nearly addicted to playing online games. It was all I thought about, and when I wasn’t play...
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Gaming
A Brief History of the Super Mario Empire
Mario was created by video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto, who joined the Nintendo company at the age of twenty-four after graduating from university....
MUSIC
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Music
SINGLE REVIEW: Collars - Hey Lizzie, Lay It On Me
Collars’ new single ‘Hey Lizzie, Lay It On Me’ is dynamic, energised, and complex, all in the best way. The track opens with a guita...
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Music
ALBUM REVIEW: Middle Kids – Today We’re the Greatest
Middle Kids’ recent release Today We’re the Greatest is better produced than their first work Lost Friends, but there’s not much deviation here in ter...
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Music
Heaven To A Tortured Mind: a year with Yves Tumor
It seems apt that Heaven To A Tortured Mind should have been released just over a year ago. In that time, the world has had to come to terms with the ...
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Music
SINGLE REVIEW: J Carlyle - Intruder Alert
The genre-melding rapper J Carlyle has returned with a new single, ‘Intruder Alert’. Drawing on a range of styles, including dancehall, RnB, reggae, a...
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Music
What is the point of a review?
For this issue we asked some of our writers the question ‘what is the point of a review?’ Enjoy! Music reviews: a love-hate relationship. Some people ...
TV
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TV
A Rewatch Of… Doctor Who
I have been obsessed with ‘Doctor Who’ since I was a kid. I’ve collected various memorabilia, snapped photos with TARDISes and Daleks, and spent Chris...
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TV
The Amelia Gething Complex: Bizarre But Brilliant
‘The Amelia Gething Complex’ is bizarre. It’s sort of a sitcom, but it’s also a sketch show; there was a Christmas special released in March and there...
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TV
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier Review: A recommended watch
‘The Falcon and the Winter Soldier’ is Marvel’s next Disney+ series. The series follows the characters of Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie), aka the Falcon ...
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TV
Limited series: the safe option
Seven seasons of ‘True Blood’. 80 episodes, 80 hours I will never get back. Not that I want the first 20 hours back, those were well spent; but the re...
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TV
Colour-blind vs colour-conscious casting on TV
Embracing inclusive casting means that we can finally target the inequalities of opportunity for marginalised groups within the television industry, w...
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