Lit by the golden glow of fairy lights in a snug back room at The Tetley, Chérie Taylor Battiste performs poetry from her new book, Lioness…
For You
How does grief play out? A Harpy guest contributor writes about a recent personal experience losing a friend.
Gay Parenting and the Price of Normality: No Kids @ The Lowry
Partners George Mann and Nir Paldi bring us No Kids; a presentation of their internal battles with potential parenthood. What is the price of “normality”? Children are bad for the environment, finances, careers, social lives, relationships, mental health and freedom... but Nir still wants a family.
Amy Lea's Ode to Mother's Love
Amy Lea discusses Mother’s Day cards, the powerful communicative ability of art, and the inspiration behind her three fiery orange designs.
#PodcastPick – Nobody Panic: How to Care Way Less About Life Milestones
Has early adulthood got you questioning every decision you’ve ever made? Are you having a quarter-life crisis? You’re not alone! There’s a podcast for that.
Harpy Interview: Creative Collective's Rose Fowler
Let’s talk about social media and how we communicate. On an almost daily basis we hear about the damaging effects of ‘reel life’ vs real life . That’s exactly what Manchester-based performing arts group, Creative Collective, are exploring in new production, The Talk.
Barber Shop Chronicles: Brotherhood, Beats and Belonging
Gossiping at the hairdressers; swapping endless stories; spilling emotional truths - these are just a few of the gendered stereotypes that the all male cast burst through.
Is social media making us lonely?
When it comes to the elderly, loneliness is taken seriously. It’s a silent killer, an epidemic; charities and initiatives dedicated to combating it have sprung up all over the world, and rightly so. Why then as a society are we so reluctant to admit that loneliness is prolific amongst the younger generations too?
#PodcastPick – NPR’s ‘Believed’
This week, we’re departing from the celebrity interview and recommending NPR’s podcast documentary, Believed. This series takes a deep dive into the case of Larry Nassar, the Olympics gymnastics doctor who was last year convicted of serial child molestation and sexual assault, in the midst of the #MeToo movement. He’s currently serving 40 – 175 years in a Michigan state prison.
International Women's Day 2019
Try not to swoon as you read these heartfelt messages celebrating some fantastic women on International Women’s Day…
Sense and Sensitivity
I am thin-skinned, hysterical, irrational. "Stop being so sensitive," they lecture, forgetting that it's in my nature, that it's as much a part of me as my eyes are green. I’m easily affected. It’s both an inconvenience and a blessing having a heightened sensitivity to the world.
Celebrate International Women’s Day with Hannah Rich, The Red Box Project & Smart Works
On 8th March 2019, the Hope Street Xchange in Sunderland will host a charity event in honour of International Women’s Day. North Eastern illustrator Hannah Rich comments on the event, where she will exhibit the portraits of Meghan Markle, Malala Yousefzai and Emma Watson.
#PodcastPick – David Tennant Does a Podcast with…Olivia Colman
In the midst of the dark January days this year, something magical happened; David Tennant launched a podcast. Former (and arguably, favourite) Doctor Who, beloved Broadchurch detective and Marvel villain, Tennant is a national favourite, and I for one was thrilled to hear his delectably soothing Scottish syllables grace the podcast-sphere.
Mother Courage and Her Children - A Motherf*cking Theatrical Trip
It’s 2080 and the world is still no place for two women on their own. Mother Courage and Her Children is a story of unrelenting action, omnipresent political undertones, and a woman who adapts to survive - whatever the cost.
#PodcastPick – Getting Curious: Jameela Jamil
When I saw that Jonathan Van Ness had interviewed Jameela Jamil for his podcast Getting Curious this week, I knew it was going to be glorious. Queer Eye’s resident hair guru and all-round wholesome shiny star, Jonathan is an effervescent interviewer, but he doesn’t shy away from the serious. He met with the actress and activist to talk body image, self-love, and her role as the loveably snobbish and extraordinarily elegant Tahani, on NBC’s The Good Place.
Disconnected
Dry January, Veganuary, January diets… As the Monday of the year draws to an end, plenty are looking forward to easing off on the self-restriction in February. And yet, one friend of the mag has a diet of a different kind planned… a social media cleanse.
Poem: Taken to Church
Written by Justina Carmen Aina, ‘Taken to Church’ is a poetic retelling of a spiritual revelation happening in an unexpected space.
Sticks & Stones: Talking Violence
The news app on my phone sent me a headline about a ‘Tinder Horror Date’. When I read the article, however, all was not how it had first seemed. Do we need to use clickbaity buzzwords with more sensitivity? YES. Do we need to think a little deeper about how we discuss violence? YES.
BINGE! with Mighty Heart Theatre: Feel-Good Feminist Fun
Mighty Heart’s last hurrah pays tribute to a troubled past, swims in happy memories, sharply comments on today’s society and speaks to future generations with hope and guidance. That’s no mean feat for two women in just an hour on stage.
Women Who Go First: Alice Ramsey
In 2002 Alice Huyler Ramsey became the first female entry to the Automotive Hall of Fame. Why did she receive this illustrious honour? For taking an iconic 20th century road-trip across the USA, and being the very first woman ever to do so.