I went to see Red Sparrow... I did not want to see this film, at all, but there were some disturbing issues, mentioned in critiques, that I felt the need to address. So, I went to see it, with an open mind, eager to reach my own conclusions.
All in Arts & Culture
Frankenstein @ Royal Exchange: an innovative tribute to a literary great
Plunged into darkness, with a crash and a flash, we are on Captain Walton’s ship, trapped amidst the ice. 200 years after Mary Shelley’s iconic novel was published, April de Angelis and the Royal Exchange Theatre reignite life into the pages of Frankenstein.
Ear Hustle: The Prison Podcast Leaving its Mark
Ear Hustle reaches you from San Quentin State Prison, California. Episode by episode, the voices of the men incarcerated there provide very real insights into prison life; this podcast is no Orange is the New Black or Prison Break.
Sassy Suffragettes: Votes for Women @ Museum of London
Covering every event in London’s history, from prehistoric flint tools, through the Black Death, Great Fire, all the way to the 2017 ‘FatBerg’, the Museum of London offers a comprehensive overview. In amongst all of this history, and notably sitting alongside the outbreak of the First World War, the Suffragette movement is importantly and proudly highlighted.
Reading Women
To mark International Women’s Day on the 8th March, Penguin are collaborating with Waterstones to open a pop-up shop selling books written exclusively by women and non-binary people. Open from the 5th to the 9th March on 1-3 Rivington Street in East London, the pop-up will host a number of events aiming to ‘celebrat[e] women, past, present, and future’, including the launch of literary magazine Five Dials’ special issue in which women and gender non-conforming artists and writers contribute works on the female gaze.
'The Shape of Water' and the Politics of the Oscars
Between reboots, prequels, sequels, stories strongly anchored in our reality, Marvel and DC’s films, biopics and period films, it sometimes feels like the film industry have been less imaginative for the past few years. Sure, there is a plethora of non-Hollywood productions that are more creative, but the fact remains that when I head to my local cinema, fantasy and wonder seem very absent. This is why I was full of hope and excitement when I went to see Guillermo Del Toro’s latest film: The Shape of Water...
A Passage to India: a Collaborative, Creative Adaptation
Adapting E.M. Forster’s classic novel, the latest simple8 production, A Passage to India, is an “us vs. them” tale, between Englishmen and Indians, Muslims and Hindus, men and women. Championing the oppressed parties, as positive, progressive forces for good, this production enacts the coming together of all sides as an ensemble, to creative, colourful, transportive effect.
Unconventional Love Stories: From the Creepy to the Cute
This Valentine's Day, whether you're all loved up or a single independent Galentine, why not live vicariously through someone else's great love story. Check out the Harpy shortlist of creeps, cuties and couples...
Girl Gang Leeds: A Year of Smashing the Patriarchy
As Girl Gang Leeds approach their 1st Birthday, Harpy met up with Emily and Kaz to get the low-down on the origins of this quirky collective. In this interview, find out how the gang was born and what they're all about.
Here’s Why a Giant Steel Bra Has Appeared Outside the O2 in London
If you find yourself anywhere near the O2 Arena in the next few months, you may just stumble across a giant stiletto, bra and corset, each cast in steel. The installation, presented by Gazelli Art House and positioned outside the NOW gallery in North Greenwich, is a showcase of artist Kalliopi Lemos’ Tools of Endearment.
Her Not Him - A Very Modern Rom-Com
Her Not Him speaks to deep-set issues surrounding fidelity, age, gender, sexuality and, ultimately, acceptance. From ‘Lughnacy Productions’, a recently formed, female-led theatre group, this play epitomises the company’s ‘female and LGBTQ focus’. Her Not Him balances humour with some touching moments of resonating honesty. ...
Women in Fairy Tales: 'Snow White' and the Insidious Power of Gender Stereotypes
Fairy tales depict the fantastical lives of princes and princesses, witches and ogres, giants and dragons. They have endured because of their magical power to take us away from the mundanity of everyday life and capture our imaginations. But are they really so far removed from reality? Are they not actually reflections of our own societal prejudices, but with a pop-up castle and elaborate costumes added in?
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri: does Sam Rockwell deserve awards for playing a racist?
In this darkly funny drama from Martin McDonagh, Mildred Hayes is a grieving mother who hires provocative billboards to pressure the local police department into solving the case of her murdered daughter. Three Billboards is about grief, but with the backstory of police brutality, it’s clear that this is also a film with a point to make about racism.
Harpy Interviews: Clare Fisher
Clare Fisher joins Harpy to discuss living in Leeds, inspiring female voices, and her upcoming short story collection How the Light Gets In.
TIME'S UP at the Golden Globes
It's been five days since I first saw Oprah’s acceptance speech of the Cecil B. de Mille award at the Golden Globes, and I have watched it in a euphoric daze at least six times. It really is fist-pump worthy, prompting righteous anger, searing pride and indomitable hope (and I admit, even a squeak of 'You Go Girl!')
'Snapper Theatre': Footlight Feminists
‘Snapper Theatre’ brand themselves as ‘feminist theatre-makers and storytellers embracing the universal and specific’. Aiming to delve deeper into this provocative and inclusive claim, I caught up with one of the founding collaborators, Lucy Foster, to learn more about ‘Snapper’s theatrical and political aims, and their latest venture: Lobster.
Celebrity Big Brother’s Big Sister Act
In their latest gimmick, Channel 5 confirmed that the most recent series of Celebrity Big Brother would begin with a female-only household, in celebration of 100 years of women having the vote. Call me old-fashioned, but it seems rather at odds to mark a milestone in the pursuit of equality by reintroducing segregation!
Boxing Day Best Books
Christmas is over and we are faced with the daunting prospect of filling those dead days leading up to New Year's Eve. Seeing as the Harpy team initially came together over a mutual love of books, we thought this seemed the perfect opportunity to share a selection of our favourite reads to eliminate your post-Christmas blues - (because, as we all know, a good book cures all).
Troubling TV: Domestic Violence in HBO's 'Big Little Lies'
In spring this year, HBO launched a seven-part miniseries called Big Little Lies, based on Liane Moriarty’s novel of the same title. The show was incredibly popular, earning high-ratings and winning several awards, but this is not just down to the cast. Refreshingly, Big Little Lies is based around the lives of three female protagonists.