PORTFOLIO OF WORK

The Gryphon

A portfolio of feature articles, reviews and interviews written for the University of Leeds' official newspaper The Gryphon. These are split between the News, Music, Arts & Culture and Lifestyle sections.

See The Gryphon Writer Profile

LITTLE AMAL: 3.5 METRE PUPPET OF MIGRANT GIRL PASSES THROUGH YORKSHIRE

1st November 2021

"Little Amal, a 3.5-metre puppet of a Syrian child refugee, is making an 8,000-kilometre journey across Europe, via Yorkshire."

WAKEFIELD LITFEST TO HOLD FREE PANEL EVENT ON ‘WRITING IN THE NORTH’

25th October 2021

"Wakefield Litfest is holding a free panel event at Wakefield Library, aimed at young people aged 14 to 25, focusing on Writing in the North."

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CLIMATE ACTIVISTS TO MARCH ON LIGHT NIGHT LEEDS AHEAD OF COP26

14th October 2021

"A group of nine Spanish climate activists will reach Leeds on Friday, as part of their nearly 1000 km hike across the UK."

SALLY ROONEY’S BEAUTIFUL WORLD, WHERE ARE YOU? IS HER THIRD PIECE TO SNAPSHOT A GENERATION

14th October 2021

"It has been 18 months since the screen adaptation of Sally Rooney’s Normal People entranced audiences worldwide with the electric relationship between Marianne and Connell. One pandemic later, Sally releases her third novel, Beautiful World, Where Are You?"

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HURRICANE IDA HITS LOUISIANA ON SIXTEENTH ANNIVERSARY OF KATRINA

4th September 2021

"On August 29th, exactly 16 years after Category 3 Hurricane Katrina caused widespread devastation in the South-Eastern states of the USA, Hurricane Ida made landfall in Louisiana."

LITTLE WOMEN OR CONFUSED MEN?

17th February 2020
Nominated for the 2020 Gryphon Award
'Arts & Culture Article of the Year'

"The lack of diversity in this year’s award season nominations has not been overlooked, receiving criticism from many of the nominated artists themselves, with the hashtag ‘#OscarsSoWhite’ trending on social media. Just a few weeks ago at the BAFTAs, Leading Actor winner Joaquin Phoenix called out systematic racism prevalent in society. Rebel Wilson highlighted the lack of female nominees in the Best Director category, joking she couldn’t match their success because she doesn’t ‘have the balls’."

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BAND OF SKULLS @ THE BRUDENELL 27/11/19

8th December 2019

A review of Band of Skull's sold out Leeds Brudenell Social Club gig as part of their debut album's 10th anniversary tour.

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MUSIC AS AN ACT OF RESISTANCE

4th October 2019

"With the shortlist for this year’s Mercury Music Prize being more politicised than ever, Toni Stephenson takes a look at how politics and music have become increasingly intertwined over recent years."

FIRST LOOK: TARANTINO’S ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD

31st March 2019

"27 years after the release of his debut Reservoir Dogs, the trailer for Quentin Tarantino’s ninth film, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, has been released. Toni Stephenson gives a round-up of what we know about it so far."

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BAFTAS ROUNDUP: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT SUNDAY NIGHT

15th February 2019

"It’s the biggest night in the British film industry. Next Sunday will see the 72nd British Academy Film Awards take place at the Royal Albert Hall in London."

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TV REVIEW: LES MISÉRABLES

8th February 2019

"The musical’s success may have changed popular association of the title from Hugo’s 1,231-page book to the stage production; however, Andrew Davis set out to challenge this with his six-part drama adaptation, taking the story back to its non-musical roots."

IN THE MIDDLE WITH THE BLINDERS

2nd November 2018

"With their ominous aura and heavy bass driven sound, the The Blinders, a Manchester based trio, originally from South Yorkshire, turned the Brudenell Social Club into a 21st century dystopia. I caught up with vocalist/guitarist Thomas Haywood and drummer Matty Neale before their sold out Sunday night gig to ask them a few questions about their sound, lyrics and debut album Columbia."

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TV REVIEW: BETTER CALL SAUL SEASON 4

25th October 2018

"This fourth installment of Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould’s Breaking Bad prequel may just be the best yet as they succeed in further creating a series with a style so uniquely filled with action, subtle comedy, and nail-biting suspense that it can be viewed autonomously from its parent series."

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