Hollie Ward

Disclaimer: None of the photos in this post were taken, or are owned by me.

Where to start? Well, I guess it’s with my job. I’m now working as a Graduate Intern Events Assistant for a local university. It’s been a crazy few months, but I have learned so much, and feel as though I am a much more capable, objective individual because of it. I only have just over a month left of the internship, but it’s been great.

I’ve helped to organise, promote and deliver lots of events! From small book launches in the library to the launch of our new campus (and photographing Princess Anne!) I’ve had a hand in between 30 and 35 events. This doesn’t include all of the marketing skills I’ve picked up, from social media to internal channels to emails, I’ve done it all!

Then, there’s the SO:Write Young Writers (AKA The Mayflower Young Writers). We started our sessions again in September, and the students have continued to blow me away every week since. We have lots of new writers this year, who despite their lack of confidence, are incredibly talented, and making huge strides.

Two of my students are making waves in the local poetry scene, attending the Hammer and Tongue poetry slams, as well as Word Makers and Silence Breakers. Despite only being 17, both are holding up against local favourites, ranking in the top three at every event. They also have been offered supporting gigs locally since.

I have also made strides in my writing. Performing at the Romsey TeaPoet Collective, to Word Makers and Silence Breakers, to the Hammer and Tongue Regional and National finals. It’s been a whirlwind few months which has forced me to start focusing on my writing more. It’s amazing to say I’ve now performed at The Royal Albert Hall!

I also turned 22 this month, and spent a lovely, quiet weekend with my friends and family. I spent my actual birthday at work, but was also spoiled rotten by my colleagues.

So, first: the positives. James McAvoy is one of my favourite actors, and he does not disappoint in this film. He has meticulously thought about his portrayal of each personality, from voice to posture. Hedwig is a fantastic source of comic relief "etc.", and Barry a well-developed, interesting character to glue the others together. His attention to detail was emphasised by the clever combination of visual and audio to create a claustrophobic, uncomfortable atmosphere. The film didn't use cheap tactics to frighten the audience, using only one jump-scare, and virtually no gore, yet still having half of the cinema covering their mouths in horror and me shaking at points. The three young actresses, Anya Taylor-Joy, Haley Lu Richardson, and Jessica Sula were gripping in their roles, complementing McAvoy so that every member of the audience forgot they were in a cinema, and truly believed what they were seeing onscreen.

Warning. The below contains spoilers, if you do not want to know how the film ends, please do not continue reading.

This film has received some criticism for being problematic, due to the fact it portrays people with personality disorders as dangerous and impulsive. Dr Simone Reinders suggests that 'movies such as Split can be extremely damaging', and that films such as these lead to an increase in the stigma around such mental illnesses. Whilst I agree with this outlook, I don't think it's as dangerous as Reinders suggests. To make Crumb into a murderer is a trope. His personalities such as 'The Beast' follow the same path as Mr Hyde, hurting those around him, despite Dr Jekyll's (Jane's) attempts to control his actions. Ultimately, using such an old, over-used motif means that most of the audience will understand that this is just fiction, that these people - in reality - are not dangerous.

Organisations such as Mind and Time To Change are working hard to alleviate the stigma around mental health problems in society. Currently, we are caught in a difficult cycle with regards to mental illnesses. The attitudes surrounding issues such as depression, anxiety, and more complex disorders (such as MPD), cannot be changed without sufferers speaking out more. However, by them speaking out, there is now a belief that these sorts of problems are fashionable. This means that the severity of these conditions, and their impacts upon our day-to-day lives, is undermined. However, its films such as Split which encourage these attitudes, and cause problematic thinking in vulnerable people, as they see mental illnesses glorified on the big screen.

Now I'm going to shift the focus away from Crumb, and introduce you to Casey Cooke. Cooke is played by twenty-year-old actress, Anya Taylor-Joy.

Taylor-Joy is given a difficult role. Her character is closed and detached. She is the centre of gossip at school, and generally an outcast. It is obvious from the opening of the film that she is going to become a central character because of the raging "misunderstood" vibe she gives off. Quickly, we begin to see that she is the most resourceful and intelligent of the three girls who are abducted, but also that she has trauma in her history. The series of flashbacks tell the audience before they have any evidence that something in this girl's childhood made her like this. But it isn't revealed until very late in the film that she was molested as a child, leading to her rebellious and detached nature, as well as some pretty serious self-harm.

And this is my problem with Split. We see a young, vulnerable woman, effectively stripped down to her underwear, revealing a mess of old scars over her stomach and shoulders. And this is what saves her. The Beast says "the broken are evolved", suggesting that to self-harm, suffer with a personality disorder, or be a victim of abuse augments you as a person. It makes you more "pure", and makes you superior to your peers. Yes, I understand very well that this film is a metaphor for how these people are fighters and survivors, but I also see that it's situations like these that young people are seeing and getting their unhealthy behaviours from. It demonstrates to vulnerable people that to be like this is desirable, and gives you an armour against suffering.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIpGKumxiGg&w=560&h=315]

On top of this, is the psychiatrist, Karen Fletcher (Betty Buckley). An older woman who has devoted her life to DID sufferers, such as Crumb. However, it is her belief that has fuelled Crumb's disorder, and allowed it to become this dangerous. But Split had an opportunity with Fletcher to provide a resolution. Instead, they make her powerless, and show her being overpowered by the darkest parts of Crumb's mind.

This is not the sort of message we should be sending out.

Therapists are fundamental in the recovery process of any individual with a mental illness; and the media is one of our key resources in informing the public. By finding the root of the problem (if there is one), and dealing with it head-on, the individual begins to understand why they are feeling and acting the way they are, and can start to alter any problematic behaviour. Without therapists, people with mental illnesses would not have the tools necessary to make positive progress, therefore it is important to represent this in the media, and as the powerful service that it is. Not a useless endeavour, like in this film.

I loved Split. I loved the casting choices, the plot, and the characters. It's the first film that has truly scared me since I was about twelve. It was gripping, and poignant, and dark. I'd love to see more films like this; however, I also see how fragile these topics are, and know that, no matter how much I enjoyed this film, the subject should have been handled differently. And that's what's wrong with Split.

I went to sixth form with Adzie but mainly heard of them through their art, which I came across online. Adzie is studying animation at university, but helps fund their studies through art commissions. They have completed a total of three commissions for me now, all of which I have been thrilled with.

The first was for a friend of mine, Noah. Noah writes LGBT+ Harry Potter fan fiction, so I asked Adzie to draw a picture of the characters Sirius Black and Remus Lupin as a couple:

Adzie is not a Harry Potter fan, so I made up a little moodboard of ideas for them, and they still managed to create exactly what I was looking for!

The next was for my friend, Brianna. Brianna is the sister of Ben, who I mentioned in my last blog post. She came up with the most fantastic idea for a book/comic, which I got Adzie to recreate. However, this was completely out of Adzie’s comfort zone, who is very inexperienced in drawing animals (but who could tell from this image?):

And of course, my new logo. I am, as always, thrilled by Adzie’s effort. They massively undercharge for the quality of work they are producing and I would recommend them to anyone!

To check out Adzie’s prices, visit imakedoodleslol.tumblr.com

I think that this is secretly where my name came from.

After a year of having the tickets, I finally saw this production at The Mayflower, starring singer Pixie Lott. It was incredibly different to the film version that I have come to love, but holding all of the same messages and basic plot.

he narrator (Matt Barber, but I’ll call him Fred), clearly shares an infatuation with Miss Golightly with the bartender Joe (Victor McGuire). He breaks up many of the scenes with short introductions, allowing for the quick set and costume changes. This allowed the use of minimal set, as Fred and the other characters set the scene for the audience, telling them exactly where they were and what was going on (e.g. the Cadillac Joe hires for Holly to take to the airport, represented only by a red car seat).

Pixie Lott is a talented actress, able to fluidly change between Holly’s various accents and personas whilst still embodying the carefree, altogether impractical character. There were some nice touches to this portrayal, as she was the only character to always run off-stage, as well as her many appearances in barefoot. These small details, along with her extravagant costume changes, made the character of Holly really stand out against the rest of the cast in Breakfast at Tiffany’s and contributed to her complex, layered character.

The show, despite Lott’s musical background, was almost entirely prose. Lott’s American accent was a bit shouty at times, fighting with the acoustics of The Mayflower, making it hard to hear at times. This meant that you had to give the show your undivided attention until the very end, otherwise you missed part of the plot. Lott also spoke very quickly. Although this is how Golightly is portrayed by Audrey Hepburn, this did not translate to stage as well, as it only increased the difficulty in understanding her.

Fred was an astounding narrator, moving with the stage and other characters with ease, almost as if he was a figment of imagination, rather than a person involved with the storyline. His presence captured your focus at all times, even when you could not clearly see him.

Although the part of Cat was rather small in the stage version compared to the film, I was amazed to find that an actual cat was being used onstage. This added to the charm of the show, as well as Holly’s portrayal. This, with Lott’s beautiful renditions of songs such as “Moon River” made the show that bit more magical.

This show is very different to anything I’ve seen before. So be aware that you are not watching the Hepburn film, as this is a much darker, more mysterious portrayal of Holiday Golightly; however, with this in mind, it is still a show not to be missed.

To see what else is showing at The Mayflower, visit https://www.mayflower.org.uk/Whats_On/

Sat waiting for Mary Poppins to start, I had a quick scan of the program and souvenir brochure. Not much of the reading caught my eye, except for a page quoted from P.L. Travers, talking about her original book and the fact that she 'never wrote for children'. After spending my first semester of this year studying children's literature, and having seen the famous film Saving Mr. Banks, I found this particularly interesting. However, there was one line that stuck with me throughout the night: 'I have been a child'. This was spoken by both Travers and Maurice Sendak, the author of Where the Wild Things Are. And for any child at The Mayflower last night, a world of pure magic and imagination unfolded before them on the stage.

Before the curtains even opened, the audience could see smoke wriggling from the chimneys of every home in London (see below).

And to truly set the enchanting scene for the night, No. 17 Cherry Tree Lane appeared to be a paper dolls' house that opened up to reveal the Banks family living inside. This emerged from the back of the stage, revealing the complex, 3D construction, which allowed us to see the living area, the kitchen and Jane and Michael's bedroom. This was the most amazing piece of touring set I have ever seen, rotating and moving to uncover different parts of the house.

Although there were not the expected penguins in waistcoats or carousel ponies, this play was not short of magic. From Mary Poppins' famous bag to wall-walking and slight-of-hand, this brought a fresh new take to the classic, whilst still drawing on some of its original charm.

Matt Lee captured the fun, energetic and dynamic character of Bert, embodying the entire play within a single character. He showed an array of talent, from fantastic vocals to some amazing tap dancing! He brought Bert to life, especially in the old favourite, "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" which was a colourful feast for the eyes.

Many members of the audience expressed disappointment at the lyrics of some of the most iconic songs; however, this brought more fun, laughter and excitement to the experience, making a refreshing change from the classic we all know and love.