Games for Everyonejournoportfolio.s3-website-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/users/1636/up… · It’s Thursday evening, and the bar is buzzing with millennial game developers scrambling

It’s Thursday evening, and the bar is buzzing with millennial game developers scrambling for free beer and pizza. These millenials, or generation Y, are described as a segment of the population born between 1980 and 2000, and many have chosen to flaunt their hard work here, with demo stalls occupying the floor. The same millennial freebie snatching developers huddle around them, eager to try them before everyone else. This little bar in Leeds, The Prohibition, is hosting the 2013 Ga-Ma-Yo event, and is full of roughly 250 indie games developers from all over the UK. Centre stage, is Andrew Crawshaw, lead designer of indie games developer The Chinese Room, and the man who makes this event possible year in, year out. Also in attendance is Sam Read, co-founder of the relatively new indie developer HyperSloth, and Simon Barratt, founder of Four Door Lemon.

Ga-Ma-Yo, Game Makers Yorkshire, is an annual event where indie game developers,

primarily millenials from Yorkshire, come together for networking and showcasing their indie game creations. It’s becoming an ever popular title for games not just in

your Steam library, but also on home consoles. Xbox 360 has had a substantial indie catalogue for quite some time, and now the big bosses at Sony are allowing games developers to self-publish on their new console, the PS4.

With all these changes, it may seem like it’s easier than ever to make yourself known on

the indie games scene, but for some this just means more competition. Founder of Bradford based Four Door Lemon, Simon Barratt, says: “Just because you’re published, doesn’t mean you’re going to sell”.

While the above indicates otherwise, Indie games have been around since the early 90s, and enjoyed relative success. They are continuing to rise in popularity thanks to the current and previous generations of consoles and mobile devices. The Xbox Live Marketplace and PlayStation Network has opened up the arena to many smaller games companies over the years, and the launch of the PS4 in November 2013 saw a drastic shift in indie self-publishing.

Sam Read, 22, is a games design student and co-founder of indie games developer, HyperSloth, based in Huddersfield. Along

with friends Lewis Bibby and Ashley Stancill, Sam founded the company in May 2012. The company has already released its first game, Dream, on the Steam network.

Dream, which is still a work in progress, is a dreamscape style game with influences from quirky Japanese titles such as LSD and Yume

Games for EveryoneMade by the New Millenial Crowd

How indie games are changing the face of gaming for good

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Nikki. The game focuses on a dream world that features both soothing dreams and eerie nightmares within. The first nightmare section of the game was released in October 2013, rewarding their paying fans with new content. The £14.99 game was made available at its alpha stage thanks to the support of Steam’s Greenlight program. Greenlight is a community-centric arena where the Steam community approves games for release on their online marketplace.

Long before Dream made its way to Greenlight, Sam had always known that he wanted to make games. He cites his main influences as Mortal Kombat and Portal: “I knew I wanted to make games when I started playing Mortal Kombat at a young age”. Because of his age, however, Sam said he found it quite difficult to enter the realm of indie games development, as publishers would not necessarily take him seriously. To support this, Simon, of Four Door Lemon, said: “You need to be an established developer to get full funding”.

Due to this, Sam cannot deny the power of PC gaming, which makes it easier to self-publish, marking this as one of his reasons for producing Dream outside of the console market. He believes that PC gaming is ‘the most open’ platform out there, and prefers to develop his games on the Steam platform due to its market share in PC gaming.

Simon, 30, of Four Door Lemon, has been in the indie games arena for much longer, but has not necessarily been much more successful. Discovering a love for games at the tender age of 6, Simon decided early that he wanted to make games for a living. Fortunately, his mother was on hand to teach him some basic programming before he was later picked up at the age of 15 to join Pineapple Interactive, a Bradford based games developer and publisher. Dropping out of school to follow his dream, Simon worked with Pineapple Interactive for a number of years, before deciding in 2005 to set up his own games company with Tim Wharton. This company

would become known as Four Door Lemon. Since 2005, Simon and Tim have worked with

Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, as well as Ubisoft and Just Add Water to create a vast array of games for all platforms and genres. Simon is overjoyed at the new possibilities for indie games developers on home consoles, and calls the PlayStation Network and Xbox Live Arcade ‘digital shelf space for indie developers.’

In 2008, Four Door Lemon became a one-man team, when Simon bought Tim out of the business and moved on to creating bigger and better games. Four Door Lemon now have a growing team of 15, and is in the process of creating its very own, in-house indie title. With funding from Standfast Interactive, the team is very excited to finally be working on a game that is truly their own creation. While the name of the game cannot be revealed yet, Simon assured us that it will ‘put a spin on an already existing genre,’ and that it’s definitely coming to the current generation of consoles.

Despite their increasing success and popularity in the gaming world, Simon says he still wants his company to remain relatively small: “I just want our games to sell well so we can make another game”. It’s refreshing to see a games developer that wants to make a large impact in the industry, without getting lost in the fame and recognition that it entails.

Indie games are an up and coming medium that is both affordable and exciting. Here at GamesTM, we really hope the next console generation will see an increase in these titles, showcasing the talents of the smaller games companies, not just the big players that dictate the popular genres.

For more information on the latest indie games, check out www.gamestm.co.uk/indie

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CONTRAST XBOX 360REVIEW

SHADOW PLAY

Contrast

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A tall, and slender figure wanders the streets of 1920s Paris. To add a risqué element, she dons a pair of stripy stockings, and a steampunk corset. It sounds oddly romantic, doesn’t it? Upon first glance, you get an overwhelming sense of romance and indulgence from Contrast, the latest title from Focus Home Interactive. There’s much more to this game than just its historical scenery and scantily clad hero, however. Contrast is a game of beauty, with real gameplay innovation.

Contrast tells the touching story of a little girl, Didi, who wants desperately to help her notoriously unlucky Dad. The innocent little girl doesn’t realise what she’s got herself into though, as domestic dramas and gangster violence rear their ugly heads the deeper she gets. As her journey goes on, Didi comes to realise that everything she knew about her Mum and Dad might not strictly be true.

You travel through the world of Contrast as Dawn, the imaginary friend of Didi. As Dawn, you can

manipulate your surroundings in order to shine or block light from walls, allowing you to morph into a shadow and

travel freely throughout the world. Didi isn’t capable of manipulating the shadow world, so it’s down to you to help her travel through the city and help her save her Dad from one last mistake.

The unique selling point of Contrast is its shadow play. The residents of this seemingly abandoned city will only appear as shadows. Only Dawn and Didi appear as 3D characters, separate to the residents of the city walls. This is where

Contrast really comes into its own, allowing you to switch between the 3D and 2D environments with relative ease.

Contrast is set in an eerie world, full of darkness and dim light, but it’s this scenery that sets the tone for the game. Shadows cannot exist without light, and without shadows this game wouldn’t have an angle.

The emptiness of the world is one of the most striking aspects, and even when huge shadows come to life on the walls, you still feel as though Dawn and Didi are the only real people in the world.

Of course, the game doesn’t come without its frustrations; it is a platformer title after all. Outside of the 2D world of shadow, Dawn’s movement is fluid, and she almost glides through the city with an air of elegance. However, this becomes an issue when you enter the world of shadow, and begin climbing aboard moving objects. Suddenly, the elegance of her movements becomes clumsy as she falls off objects and floats away in the wrong direction, which can be more than irritating.

Platform and puzzle fans will love Contrast, and marvel at the beauty and complexity of the story and the gameplay. Don’t let the high price tag put you off though; it’s definitely worth checking out for any player who admires innovation in their games.

VERDICT 7/10FRUSTRATING, YET BEAUTIFUL

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FORMAT: Windows, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360 PUBLISHER:Focus Home InteractiveDEVELOPER: Compulsion GamesRELEASE: Out nowPRICE: £11.99

DETAILS

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LIMBOLIMBO is like Marmite. Some loved it for its beautifully haunting scenery, while others didn’t get it and found it over pretentious. It cannot be ignored however that it has paved the way for many similar looking games, including the recent PS3 exclusive, Rain.

LIMBO tells the dark story of a young boy trying to find his sister after they have been in a car crash. It’s not all roses however; Giant spiders and evil children will stop at nothing to keep you from your goal. There’s something special about it though; it’s not just deeply disturbing, it’s darkly beautiful and eerie, both to watch and play.

DLC QuestIf you have a spare 69p, then go and spend it on this little gem. DLC Quest puts a mocking twist on the current generation of DLC centric titles, but still comes across as light hearted. This charming little side scrolling RPG may be short, but it’s sweet and makes a very important statement about the increasingly DLC centric industry.

Castle CrashersThe castle has been raided, the king killed and the princesses abducted. That can mean only one thing; it’s down to you and your friends to save them. Designed as a co-op game, you play as one of four heroes, making your way through a side-scrolling world, leveling up and finding new and more powerful weapons to battle your foes. Mad and chaotic, Castle Crashers puts an alternative spin on the preexisting hack and slash genre, introducing chibi style animation and bright colours to a typically dark genre.

World of GooWorld of Goo does exactly what it says on the tin. It’s a world full of goo, gooey creatures, and your role in all this is to build intricate gooey structures. Why? Because these little creatures want to go home. It’s an interesting, if not frustrating concept, as it challenges the players’ use of gooey tendons, and becomes particularly challenging when moving spaces are introduced. Regardless, World of Goo is an interesting, physics-based time waster that provides welcome relief from the abundance of Candy Crush clones.

BastionBastion is a creative title. Narrated by a dramatic male voice, spurring you on and narrating every single move you make, the main character is referred to simply as ‘Kid’. You wake up in the post-apocalyptic world of Celondia, and make your way to the Bastion to see if there are any other survivors. As you make your way there, it is clear that the destruction was too great, and you may be the sole survivor, and it is now your job to restore the Bastion to its former glory.

What did you think? Zoe Posnette, 23 ‘It maintains a level of mystery that I personally have not enjoyed in a game since the good old days of Myst”.

What did you think? Andrew Crosby, 23 “The satirical take on the current state of the industry drew me in”.

What did you think? Ollie Wilson, 14: “It’s crazy. Crazy good fun”.

What did you think? Ray Willmott, 30 “I love the goo creatures, they remind me of the soot demons in Miyazaki’s Spirited Away”.

What did you think? Jamin Cyrus, 27: “I loved the music and the compelling story; it kept you guessing”.

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Sam Read, a Huddersfield based student, loves video games. He loves them so much that he started his own games company, HyperSloth, in 2012. After setting up HyperSloth, he headed to crowdfunding website, Kickstarter, to fund his game, Dream, leaving it to the public to contribute their hard earned cash to his project. As a busy student, Sam didn’t have the time to dedicate to the campaign, and it failed, achieving £8,597 of its £20,000 goal. Sam blamed the failure on the lack of time and effort he spent on it, and said: “A good Kickstarter is time consuming. We would definitely try again in the future, when we have a bit more time to dedicate to it, and some more experience under our belt”.

Dedicating time to funding business and product start-ups in this manner has become something of a cultural, and digital, phenomenon. Tech City News reported that

crowdfunding platforms raised £200 million in 2012 alone, and this is predicted to increase to £15 billion per year in the future. Donating cash for business and product startups is no longer the exclusive right of the cast of Dragon’s Den. Anyone can put themselves in the shoes of Deborah Meaden, or Theo Paphitis, and put their hard earned cash towards a product they’re interested in and get some sort of bonus for their input.

It’s not just easy for the contributor. Anyone can create a crowdfunding project, as long as they have a good eye for promotion and

are clear in their goals. There are countless websites that allow you to create such projects, and allow you to set your own perks and goals along the way. It’s not even restricted to your own country, as you can donate to any cause, in any currency. It’s a brilliant way of making donators feel they’re part of something, and a key link in making it possible.

Enticing the public to invest your campaign, are perks, physical incentives for campaigns that many

We’re All Dragons in the Eyes of new Business

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websites such as Kickstarter and Indiegogo offer. These are an excellent way to gain support by offering anything from free t-shirts, to a slap up meal. Michael Norton, CEO and Chairman of BuzzBNK, said that a successful campaign and its perks should be: “Something that seems exciting”.

Michael is a well-recognised expert in the crowdfunding arena. One of his biggest projects was The Age of Stupid, a British film that tackled the issue of climate change. He was asked to fund the film by finding 100 people who could put forward £100 each. The Age of Stupid, starring the late Pete Postlethwaite, managed to raise £50,000, and was released in 2009. Michael believes that one of the key elements to a successful fundraiser is going in with “a lot of determination”. Michael also says that this phenomenon is nothing new: “We’ve always had crowdfunding. We have Just Giving. It’s been around for a long time, but what’s new is first of all it’s web based, it uses social media, and it offers benefits in return”.

Certain websites, such as Crowdfunder.co.ukfollow a community-centered ethos. This means that projects will only be accepted if they are of value to the community. One of their most successful projects was The Bicycle Academy.This project achieved its £40,000 target in just

6 days, and has gone on to be very successful. This success did not come without dedication. Emily Smith, press officer for Crowdfunder.co.uk, said: “A lot of people that we talk to have full time jobs, as well as doing the campaign,

and it’s time consuming”. This reinforces the issues that Sam faced; lack of time. A project like this has to be nurtured and paid attention to.

Successful ventures include the Ouya console, an android-based console released early in 2013. The Kickstarter campaign asked for $950,000, reaching $8,596,474 by the end of the funding period, and more than 60,000 backers.

Other successful ventures include Pool+, a New York based project which looked to clean sections of otherwise dirty rivers, allowing the public to go for a dip. This reached a smaller number of backers at 2,924, but reached their goal of $250,000, and an extra $23,114 by the end of the funding period.

It isn’t just about big bucks and mega rewards though. This exciting new funding source is

available to everyone, with involvement encouraged from day one. As Emily puts it: “It’s not just for Bob down the road. It’s becoming a really big source for alternative funding. I think it’s only going to grow, and it’s only going to get bigger”.

Some say crowdfunding is here to stay, and the public are the future of setting up new businesses and products. Some have shunned funding from banks in favour of utilising

a crowdfunding campaign to engage with consumers. In times of recession, we are hopeful that this new funding source keeps creativity thriving.

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Making Tracks in the World of Theatre

A month after the opening night of her first performance, Laura Attwood, 23, recalls the excitement and anxiety she felt. As she waited for the show to start, she could feel her heart pounding, and butterflies filling her stomach. She took a peek from behind the curtain at the packed pub. A sense of fulfillment washes over her as Tracks, a physical and digital exploration into the journeys victims of genocide are forced to take, is about to open at The Frog and Fiddle pub, Cheltenham.

Founded in the summer of 2013, Brick Door Theatre is a new company on the scene in Cheltenham. They call themselves a physical and digital theatre company, using not only physical performance, but also digital stimuli such as video and audio to evoke emotion in their viewers. They pride themselves on the use of local and national artists in their pieces and encourage collaboration across all artistic mediums. This is what Laura hopes will help them stand out from the crowd.

Laura shares a sense of achievement with her friends and family, as well as the public, who contributed funds when she set up a crowd funding

campaign for the show on GoGetFunding, with a modest target of £500. This target was soon reached, and Laura is eternally grateful to all those who contributed. £500 may not seem like much, but it helped immensely in funding the spaces for their performance, including The Frog and Fiddle pub in Cheltenham where Tracks opened on January 26th 2014.

Tracks is a thought-provoking piece that tackles the issues of genocide worldwide, as well as the issues that still exist surrounding the impact of the Holocaust. It might seem strange for someone so young to tackle such harrowing issues, but Laura said: “It became apparent that people my age, older and younger were unaware of sub sequential genocides after the holocaust”. It’s a brave, and deep topic to take on for a start-up project, but Laura was keen to highlight this most important of issues that so often gets overlooked in modern society.

Where did this ambitious idea come from though? Laura’s journey into the world of theatre started at a very young age. “I’ve been dancing since the age of three”, she says, with a look of accomplishment

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on her face, “I have always loved it, and it’s probably from this that my love of acting began”.

Born in Cheltenham, Laura was raised and ‘surrounded by a great family’ who actively supported her in her choices to take on dance and acting early on. Aside from her family, one of the key people in her life that pushed her to pursue a career in acting was Brynley Thomas, her drama teacher at Cleeve School, who nurtured the ‘acting flower’ within her. From that point, she discovered a passion for acting, and found the opportunity to perform with the Playhouse Theatre and Everyman Theatre in Cheltenham as a teenager.

Following her A Levels, and with a push from Brynley, Laura studied Drama & Performance at the University of Worcester, achieving a 2nd class upper degree. Her time at the university encouraged her to practice her acting and hone her skills, and it was shortly after this that the idea for Brick Door Theatre Company was born, as well as the foundations for Tracks.

Brick Door Theatre Company is unlike many other theatre companies, and was born from a conversation at a Sainsbury’s store in Prestbury, Cheltenham, where Laura works. One of Laura’s regular customers, Robert Perry, asked one day at the checkout if she would ever consider taking up acting, despite having no knowledge of her previous acting experience. “This made me chuckle”, she said, “I had just finished a Drama degree at University and had, in the last two years, performed professionally with local companies, Jenny Wren Productions and Grey Cat Productions”. Laura soon discovered that Robert was a composer of many genres of music, including jazz, funk, and medieval. “He politely suggested I listen to his music”, and after listening to Robert’s piece, The Brick’s Lament, ideas began to form. The ‘hauntingly beautiful piece about Auschwitz’ inspired Laura to reconsider her knowledge of world wide mass genocide, and so the idea for Tracks was born, as was Robert’s

involvement with the project as the musical director for the piece.

The foundation for Tracks came about after Laura had listened to Robert’s music, but she also discovered a personal interest in the piece. She said: “I found it disgusting that I didn’t know these important points in history”. The piece was created to tackle this lack of awareness, and she is proud of what she has achieved. She says of Tracks: “I wanted to create Tracks so that others are also reminded or informed about these horrific crimes and that perhaps they will research, take actions and remember in their busy lives too”.

Now, on the night of the first performance, Laura looks back on her journey with a sense of accomplishment. The audience stare back at her, applauding with tears in their eyes, and she soaks in the adulation of the audience: “We had audience members crying, taking part and even talking about it days later”. A round of applause with tears at a performance is certainly an indication that you have done well and should be proud, but Tracks isn’t over yet, and she hopes it will impact many more people. She hopes that after seeing the show, many viewers will go home and think more carefully about the horrors of the world around them that they may be blissfully unaware of.

The future of Brick Door Theatre is an exciting prospect for Laura, echoing the ethos of her company in her motivations for the future: “I hope that Brick Door is a company that local artists and non-local artists feel they can get in touch with and work collaboratively on a piece”.

Once Tracks finishes its run, a new production is already in the pipeline: “Our next piece will be about Monsanto”, which she reveals very little about, teasing: “’What’s Monsanto?’ you ask? Well, exactly”. Despite this production already in the planning stages, Laura smiles with an air of determination: “The journey of Tracks isn’t over yet”.

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Going InterracialIn modern Britain, many couples are choosing to break the mould and enter into interracial

relationships, usually against the wishes of their parents. These three couples from Huddersfield, Cheltenham and London, shared their stories and experiences on interracial relationships with us.

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Fawzia and Raj

Fawzia and Raj, from Greenwich have had a long and tough journey with their relationship. They have been together for 15 years after meeting at PC World, but due to religious and cultural barriers put in place by their families, have been unable to marry, despite their best wishes to. This hasn’t stopped them from seeing each other and remaining optimistic however.

Fawzia is adamant that even though Raj is from a very different cultural background: “It does not pose an issue to my everyday living due to the society I live in”. She also believes that even though he follows his culture and religion rigidly: “he is very westernised”. Despite this westernisation on both sides, their relationship has not been without its issues over time, and Fawzia said: “there are times where you do want to walk away”.

Raj follows the Hindu religion, which forbids him to marry someone of Muslim faith leaving them at a stalemate in their relationship, where one of them needs to convert to the other religion in order to be together.

Due to their forbidden relationship, Fawzia values every moment they spend together, big or small: “The fondest moments are the smallest gestures he makes, sometimes it’s the listening I appreciate and the fact he never stops me from being me as a Muslim or person”. As a realist, Fawzia is not blind to the fact that Raj’s involvement in her life may change, but believes: “as time goes by I know he will always be in it one way or another”.

Alisha and Josh

Alisha and Josh met at Huddersfield University in 2013. They have been together for just over a year, and couldn’t be happier. However, Alisha’s

parents are not aware of their relationship, nor would they approve. This issue of secrecy is common in interracial

relationships, but does not always feature on each side. Josh’s family is well aware of their relationship, and when they found out Josh said: “They were happy that I was happy. They never judge on race, religion or colour, just who the person is”.

Thankfully, Josh, a Christian feels that: “her religion doesn’t interfere at all” with their relationship, and Alisha, who follows the Ravidass religion, a faith similar to Sikhism, is also adamant that their different religious backgrounds do not interfere with their relationship.

Despite their issues, Alisha is positive, and hopes that they will have a: “Happy future with kids who lead a happy life and feel open to marry whoever they want to”. Josh is similarly positive about the future, but fully aware it’s not necessarily going to be an easy ride: “I see it as positive and definitely lasting, with some hurdles along the way”.

Hazel and Peter

Hazel and Peter, from Cheltenham, have been together for two years. They met through a mutual friend in 2012, and now work together. Only their cultural backgrounds vary, meaning religion does not interfere at all when it comes down to the crux of their relationship. Hazel said: “it more intrigues people how it works and if it’s any different”.

Peter, of Chinese heritage, remains agnostic, despite his family comprising of Christians, Buddhists and Muslims.

Hazel is also agnostic, but is often anxious about family celebrations with Peter, due to

their cultural diversity and whether she will be able to fit in. Despite this, she embraces the cultural diversity of her partner, and sees it as: “a great learning curve for me to experience a different culture”.

Some of their fondest memories together are not of holidays, but much simpler pleasures: “The best thing is getting a big hug after a long day, and being able to fall asleep together. Simplistic, but it’s bliss”.

With a lack of religious or cultural barriers in place, Hazel said: “I plan to spend my life with him”. Peter echoed this, saying: “We’ve discussed marriage and we both want to get married in the next 3-4 years”.

For information and advice on interracial relationships,look online at http://www.whatmodeareyouin.co.uk/ interracial

“They were happy that I was happy”

“I plan to spend my life with him”

“The best thing is getting a big hug after a long day”

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Faultlines Finish Their Trilogy With a Bang

At the heights of St Pauls Hall, Huddersfield, the audience sits in anticipation. A Tale of Coriander and the Dog, the third and final entry in the Faultlines series, is about to begin. The series, created by Open Minds Theatre to tell the story of the Kashmiri community from the 1970s, has been described by Steve Rogers, artistic director, as: “a true reflection on the community’s life”, and follows the intertwined lives of two Rotherham based families; one Pakistani, one British.

Funded by the UK Arts Council, A Tale of Coriander and the Dog, toured across the UK with shows in Roterham, Leicester and Oxford, among others. It was presented to a sell-out audience in Bradford at the Alhambra theatre, and received positive reviews from the Pakistani community. Rogers said that: “all the audiences were blown away”, as well as receiving comments about ‘how true to life it was’.

To create this accurate portrayal, both sides of the story were shown in equal measure. The opening scene, bringing the families together from the start, shows striking video footage of the attack on the Two Towers, emblazoned across a large

screen, leaving the audience and characters looking on in shock and horror. This scene unites the characters, and certainly gets your attention, but doesn’t quite set the tone for what the rest of the performance has to offer. The main subject of this play is interracial relationships, and how they affect the lives of everyone around

them. Particular focus is given to Adeel and Lisa’s relationship, the interracial relationship in question, and their journey for acceptance from their families, as well as religious understanding and cultural tolerance.

It’s not long until the audience discovers that Adeel, raised a Muslim, wishes to marry Lisa after spending four years together. What follows, is a comical, yet emotional rollercoaster journey, looking at the lives of a modern Asian family, who still cling to their cultural and religious traditions, while their children battle to break away.

The play doesn’t focus on just one couple however, but instead follows them all through their trials and tribulations, including a tale of love, which turns into domestic violence, and the parental struggle to accept their children’s decisions, which threaten to destroy them due to cultural and religious boundaries. The show highlights the modern Muslim perspective, which is mixed with western and Asian influence in both culture and religion.

As well as this main subject, the show bravely tackles the issues of how the Muslim community is perceived with footage from the infamous 9/11 attacks on the Twin Towers, as well as an EDL protest on the streets of Rotherham. Issues of domestic abuse are tackled well, and show that this remains prevalent in some Asian marriages, due to the cultural belief that women should remain as housekeepers, never the breadwinner. The male ego is inflated in some scenes, when Umer, husband to Adeel’s sister, Miriam, dares to hit her for talking to a male colleague outside of work hours, a scene that shocks the audience as gasps of horror film the room.

Interestingly, one of the underlying issues that is tackled by the play is not only the protest from Pakistani families when it comes to western

integration, but also how British families react when they are faced with the possibility of their children, or relatives, reverting to Islam. In

fact, Lisa’s father, Dave, reacts angrily when she reveals her plans to revert and marry Adeel. An angry tirade including such powerful words, as ‘Everyone hates Muslims’ spill from his mouth and echo across the hall, as the predominantly Asian audience looks on, once again, in shock.

All of these issues compound into a very interesting, and frank, look at modern Asian society, but unfortunately the play ends rather abruptly with some meaning lost when the warring couple, Miriam and Umer, perform some interesting, yet misplaced, interpretative dance as the rest of the cast look into their future.

Following on from the success of A Tale of Coriander and the Dog, Open Minds Theatre Company are currently collaborating with Ashish Gaddiali, an ‘award winning film director’, to make a short film about mixed marriage for the London Asian Film Festival, which will feature Lisa and Adeel.

A Tale of Coriander and the Dog is unique look at Asian life and cultural integration. It is a powerful statement on racism from both British and Asian communities, and an honest look at the trials and tribulations of those who are brave enough to enter into interracial relationships, and the cultural challenges they face.

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Life After Breast Cancer

Breast Cancer awareness has reached new heights in recent years. The Under The Red Dress Project from New Zealand shocked the masses, and similar campaigns such as the Breast Cancer Care positive body image campaign followed suit. Some argue that these campaigns are unnecessary and simply in place for shock value, while others admire the

women brave enough to bare their scars for the world to see. Joyce Allen, 70, a survivor of breast cancer, speaks to us about her experience, and how these new campaigns have made her feel as a survivor.

When she was first diagnosed with breast

cancer at the age of 58, Joyce felt as though he world was falling apart, as at the same time her husband Roy, had been diagnosed with terminal bowel cancer. The cancerous tumour in her breast was discovered with a routine

mammogram, and was diagnosed as DCIS, or ductal carcinoma in situ, a non-invasive cancer. After an extensive, and painful biopsy: “the radiologist managed to remove the malignant cells, but the doctor was not aware at the time”, resulting in Joyce still having to go through with the surgery on her breast to remove the tumour. However, Joyce’s doctor comforted her after her diagnosis, informing her that: “Bolton has one of the best breast support services in the country”.

While Joyce did not have to go through a full mastectomy, she had an operation called a lumpectomy, which removed the tumour inside her breast tissue. She is not devoid of scars however: “I’ve got a scar, but I’m fortunate that it was below my nipple”. As well as this scar, a clear indentation can be seen in her breast when raising her arm. The reason for her not having a mastectomy

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was due to the fact that the disease had not spread to her lymph nodes, and she said: “I was one of the lucky ones”.

When Joyce was diagnosed, she wasn’t sure how she was going to cope: “I remember walking round the streets, and I just remember walking and walking. It’s a horrible feeling”. However, it was not her own doctors and

nurses that supported her the most, but the Macmillan nurse that supported her husband: “I don’t know what I would have

done without her”. Understandably, Joyce’s experience with breast cancer was made worse by having to look after her terminally ill husband, and believes that the stress of looking after him during this period may have impacted on her diagnosis. Several weeks after Joyce entered remission, her husband, Roy, sadly died of his terminal cancer. However, an optimistic outlook kept her on the positive road to recovery, using her personal motto: “Come to terms with it, and then deal with it”.

Helping women come to terms with what has happened to them, or is going to happen to them is one of the goals of the Under The Red Dress Project, as well as a similar positive body image campaign by Breast Cancer Care.

Both projects aim to create a positive image of cancer survivors in the media, as well as promoting positive body image after cancer. Both projects have used what some would deem as shocking imagery of bare chested women, some with very painful looking scars, smiling at the camera and sharing their stories as survivors, not victims. Beth Whaanga, the star of the Under The Red Dress Project is cited on the website saying: “Your scars aren’t ugly. They mean you’re alive”. The site features many images of her and her scars, with full details of what treatments she underwent, and a final image of her in the iconic red dress the project is named after.

The positive body image campaign set up by Breast Cancer care features similar images from women of all ages, and with a variety of scars. A report published by the charity discovered that women were concerned about their cancer scars, and how people would judge them if they did not alter their image to compensate for the loss of breast tissue.

When shown these striking images, despite being adamant she would never do it herself, Joyce said: “It brings it home to you, but it doesn’t make me feel sad, it’s just something that I’ve gone through and I think it could have been a heck of a lot worse”.

Being diagnosed with any form of cancer, and facing the physical changes that come with it, are a challenge for any man or woman, but hopefully these projects will continue to help raise awareness, and prove to society once and for all that scars aren’t signs of a victim, but signs of a survivor.

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Image credit: UndertheRedDress.com

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“Bolton has one of the best breast support services in the country”