THEGAYUK

Day: 7 July 2014

  • EVITA is returning to the West End

    Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s EVITA returns to London’s West End for a strictly limited season.

    Opening on Tuesday 16 September at the recently refurbished Dominion Theatre, the musical considered by many to be Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s masterwork will play for 55 performances only in the West End, with musical theatre and pop icon Marti Pellow playing Che, and extraordinarily talented newcomer Madalena Alberto in the title role.

    With more than 20 major awards to its credit, and the Oscar winning film version starring Madonna and Antonio Banderas, Evita has become iconic. It features some of the most memorable and best loved songs in musical theatre, including Don’t Cry For Me Argentina, On This Night of a Thousand Stars, You Must Love Me, and Another Suitcase in Another Hall. Evita charts the story of Eva Peron, wife of former Argentine dictator Juan Peron, from her humble beginnings through to the extraordinary wealth, power and iconic status which ultimately led her to be heralded as the ‘spiritual leader of the nation’.

    Marti Pellow, one of music’s most respected artists, plays Che, a character who reflects the voice of the Argentine people – linked to Eva by destiny; he brings conflict to the story of Eva’s rise to fame. For over 30 years Marti Pellow has enjoyed global success as the lead singer of Wet Wet Wet, as a solo artist, and now as one of the UK’s most acclaimed and respected leading men of musical theatre. Starring roles include The Witches of Eastwick, Chess, Jekyll & Hyde, Chicago and Blood Brothers. As a solo-singer, recording artist and with Wet Wet Wet, Marti Pellow has enjoyed virtually unrivalled chart success, with over 25 hits and three of the UK’s biggest number one singles, including the seminal Love Is All Around. In 2013, after 20 years apart, Wet Wet Wet reunited for a sell-out arena tour.

    Madalena Alberto’s musical theatre credits include the role of Piaf at the Curve Theatre and Fantine in the 25th Anniversary production of Les Misérables. Other roles include Lucy in Jekyll and Hyde, Carmen Diaz in Fame, Sam in Over the Threshold and Sonia in Godspell. The Portuguese singer-songwriter’s first album Don’t Cry For Me will be released to coincide with the opening.

    LISTINGS NEWS:
    ADDRESS – Dominion Theatre, 268-269 Tottenham Court Rd, London W1T 7AQ
    DATES – Tuesday 16 September – Saturday 1 November 2014
    TIMES – Mon – Sat @ 7.45pm, Thu & Sat @ 3pm, Mon 22 Sept @ 7pm
    TICKET PRICES – £25 – £65; Under 16s, £10 off top three prices Mon – Thu & Sat Mat
    BOOKING INFORMATION – www.dominiontheatre.com / 0845 200 7982

  • Australian Gay Rugby Team Wins Their Professional Match

    UK Sports Challenged to hold similar events after Australian gay team wins historic rugby game – International Rugby legends Gareth Thomas and John Eales call for end to discrimination.

    Two international rugby legends are congratulating Australia’s first gay rugby union team for its decisive win during an historic game. They are also urging sports in the UK and around the world to do more to tackle homophobia in sport.
    The Sydney Convicts were the first gay rugby team, and only the second gay team in the world, to play at a professional sporting event (the first was French soccer match in 2006).On Sunday, the Convicts beat the Macquarie University Warriors 30-12 during a ‘curtain raiser,’ a game held ahead of the international ‘Super Rugby’ match between the NSW Waratahs (AUS) and Highlanders (NZ) at Allianz Stadium.
    Sydney Convicts Head Coach Charlie Winn said, ‘The curtain raiser was a once in a lifetime experience for the team and I’m proud we made the most of this historic opportunity to show gay men can and do play quality rugby. I hope we’ve opened the door to similar games being held in the future around the world.’

    International rugby superstar and former Wales captain Gareth Thomas is one of only two professional rugby players in the world to have come out of the closet. He came out in 2009. He said, ‘I congratulate the Sydney Convicts for winning this historic game, it certainly says a lot about the calibre of gay rugby teams around the world. Thankfully we are moving incredibly quickly toward attitudes changing about gay people and whether they can play tough sports like rugby. This may be the first gay team invited to play a curtain raiser but I hope it’s not the last. Rugby is a game for all shapes, sizes and personalities and it needs to be a game for everyone regardless of sexuality. I think rugby can lead the way in changing sporting culture and I’m very hopeful we’ll see more games like this in the UK and around the world.’

    Another international rugby legend, John Eales, the most successful captain in Australian rugby history, agrees with Gareth Thomas. The retired Wallaby is also a ‘Bingham Cup Ambassador.’ He said, ‘I am very proud of the Convicts for making history while also challenging stereotypes around gay men. Sports can and must lead society and be welcoming for everyone. It’s always disappointing to hear stories of people who don’t play sports because they fear discrimination. I’m sure that by holding historic events like this weekend’s curtain raiser and taking other steps to publicly support gay people, we can help eradicate homophobia and discrimination in sport.’

    This historic curtain raiser was part of a series of anti-homophobia initiatives led by Australian sporting organisations in partnership with organisers of next month’s Bingham Cup, the world cup of gay rugby, being held in Sydney. This includes the first international study on homophobia in sports, which is collecting experiences of people in the UK and other countries.
    www.outonthefields.com

    Many of the Sydney Convicts players joined the gay and inclusive rugby team because they didn’t feel welcome on other teams. This included Jay Claydon, a winger who joined the Convicts after experiencing homophobia on his semi-professional rugby team. He was named ‘man of the match’ after the historic curtain raiser for scoring 3 tries.
    Another player, scrum half Jason Fowler, played with the Macquarie University Warriors prior to joining the Sydney Convicts last season. Many of his former teammates only found out he was gay when he played against them as a Sydney Convict. ‘I saw a lot of guys on the field who I was afraid would reject me for being gay just two years ago. I’m amazed by how my life has come full circle and I can play against them now and be proud. In retrospect my sexuality was not as big a deal as I made it out in my head and my old teammates have been extremely supportive.’

    In addition to the curtain raiser game, a panel discussion on homophobia in sport was held during the pre-game show and a feature article on discrimination in sport ran in the program. A 30 second anti-homophobia video was also shown on the Jumbotron, featuring many well-known international athletes. This included Mitchell Johnson (Cricket), Ryan Harris (Cricket), Harry Kewell (Football), Alessandro Del Piero (Football), Paul Gallen (Rugby League), Nate Myles (Rugby League), David Pocock (Rugby Union), Lauren Jackson (Basketball), Nathan Jones (Australian Rules), Sam Mitchell (Australian Rules), Kim Green (Netball) and Libby Trickett (Swimming) The video can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-G4mXUtmeZg

    Australians are receiving strong international praise and recognition for their efforts to tackle homophobia. Les Johnson is Vice-President of Membership with the Federation of Gay Games, the world’s largest LGBT sporting organisation. “We applaud rugby and Australia’s other major sports for being trailblazers and for strongly supporting our community. The historic initiatives being led by Australians are significant developments in the worldwide effort to end discrimination and make sport welcoming and safe for all.”

    More about the Bingham Cup: www.binghamcup.com

  • Dolly Parton and the abandoned dog

    Dolly, who played Glastonbury one week ago today, is definitely on fire! The crowd, on hand, at Glastonbury specifically watching Dolly’s performance reached in excess of 150,000 people while the BBC has reported the largest viewing audience ever of Glastonbury tuned in to see Dolly take the stage during their live broadcast.

    Then when Glastonbury was all over and everyone headed home, workers began cleaning the acres and acres of land when out of a tent pops a fluffy white dog that was left behind. Workers immediately named it “Dolly” as it characterized Dolly’s beauty, love, peace, and sweetness just as she had shown fans a few days before while performing on the Pyramid stage. As media became aware and the search for the dogs’ home began, the dog was quickly nicknamed “Doggy Parton”.

    Now on a dog-gone good note, Dolly Parton plans to adopt the dog provided the original owners are not found.

    ‘I had my manager Danny Nozell call the Happy Landings Animal Shelter to make sure the dog is being treated and cared for properly,’ says Dolly Parton. ‘At this time, nobody has claimed the dog and the dog is in great hands at the shelter. I will take the dog home to America if nobody claims her within a reasonable amount of time.’

    Watch a special message from Dolly HERE

    In addition, the iconic Dolly Parton shows no signs of slowing down as her latest UK album release ‘Blue Smoke – The Best Of’, brings Dolly to her all-time highest chart position landing at #4 in its fourth week of release. Dolly originally entered the chart at #6, which at the time, was her highest ever album chart position.

    Dolly has just taken to Twitter to say, ‘Heard about the abandoned dog at @GlastoFest? If nobody claims her, I’ll take her home to America! Ain’t she cute :)’

  • LGBT ally and anti-bullying activist Ben Cohen to star in The Cube

    Tonight two celebrities get to grips with the mighty Cube: twinkle toed rugby star Ben Cohen gives it his best try, and has the Cube met its match in EastEnders’ bad girl Charlie Brooks?

    LGBT Ally Ben Cohen is to star in tonight’s episode of The Cube on ITV1. Ben’s foundation, the StandUp Foundation fights to make bullying a thing of the past. It was started after his father was savagely killed.

    Speaking to TheGayUK in an interview in 2012, Ben Cohen said, ‘Basically, the road to where I am today, in many different respects is because, I got a phone call on Friday the 13th of all days and my dad had basically been beaten within an inch of his life protecting someone at a nightclub my brother owned. To cut a very long story short, he died a month later of his injuries. Stand Up day is now on November 14th, the day my dad died.

    ‘The day I announced that I was doing a cause, my fan page went up by 10,000 people instantly so the support is there and it’s needed because there is nobody else doing this. Having a cause and being nice to look at is a bonus really. It’s not about supporting me as a sex symbol, it’s about supporting the cause.’

    Ben Cohen is also well loved for his Underwear and Calendar shoots.

    Philip Schofield is presenting the show, which is on from 9PM.

  • REVIEW | Deborah Frances-White, Half a Can of Worms

    ★★★★★ | Deborah Frances-White, Half a Can of Worms

    Deborah Frances-White was adopted at ten days old and up until late October 2012 she had no idea who or where her birth family were.

    An extraordinary run of events meant that she was suddenly living as a round the clock internet Nancy Drew, finding out more information every hour about her birth mother, aunts, uncles, grandparents and even possibly half brothers and sisters. What she is learnt was that you can’t open half a can of worms.
    Armed with a cut price private detective, a lot of social media to trawl through and a template of her own distinctive eyebrows, Deborah navigated her way through a family search that would have flummoxed lesser mortals.

    This is a rare feat: narrative stand-up that is warm and moving and very human. The audience is instantly on Deborah’s side and her persona has the room eating out of her hand. She even helped an elderly lady turn off her ringing phone without the slightest hint of irritation. Stand up comedians can be terribly nice as well as being very funny.

    The show is well composed, backed up by well put together film clips and manages to entertain with a ripping yarn as a backdrop. Deborah certainly deserves to have a hit show with this piece.

    Catch the show at the Edinburgh Fringe from the 1st to the 25th of August
    Buy tickets here: https://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/comedy/deborah-frances-white-half-a-can-of-worms

  • GROOMING: Gone Today… Hair Tomorrow

    GROOMING: Gone Today… Hair Tomorrow

    It’s a well-known fact that many gay men put a lot of focus on their appearance, from anti-aging products for the skin, to lightening toothpastes for teeth. So it’s no surprise that the thought of hair loss or thinning fills a lot of men with dread, almost as much as having the surgical treatments to cover up the unwanted hair loss. But what if there were another way, a non‐surgical solution to reduced hairlines?

    Brought to you by:

    Skalp

     

     

     

    Skalp

    SkalpTM

    Skalp TM Micro Pigmentation is the ultimate in non‐surgical scalp grooming; an incredible life-changing treatment where natural pigments are applied at the epidermal level of the scalp to replicate the natural appearance of real hair follicles or strands – depending on your hair loss extent, and desired look.

    When your hair thinning is slowly becoming an unwanted comb over, making you look older than you feel on the inside, then maybe it’s time to try a something different. A shaved full head of hair, with a little help from Skalp can give you a styled fresh look, dramatically improving your appearance and even helping to contour the face. Images of army recruits, action men figures and well-groomed gentlemen are all new types of you.

    SkalpTM

    SkalpTM’s method is regarded as the best treatment of its kind available in the world today, using only natural pigments and application methods. Their practitioners, world class and fully qualified in permanent cosmetics and micro pigmentation treatments, recognise that hair follicles don’t always naturally grow in the same direction, or that hair follicles are not all the same shade. The team frequently uses 3-4 shades of pigment to create the most true-to-life finish – achieving a younger more confident hairline.

    SkalpTM

    The follicle/strand build up of Micro pigmentation typically takes place over 3 sessions, each taking approx. 3‐4 hours with at least one week between sessions. The process allows for a very gradual and subtle rejuvenation/infill of the hairline, rarely identified even by close friends and family. During the procedure a cartridge, containing 3 needles working in symphony, gently inject natural pigment into the 2nd dermal skin layer. Skalp only uses the latest innovative technology.

    SkalpTM

    Skalp Micro Pigmentation can help in many other areas too including:

    -Give the look of a full, youthful head of cropped hair

    -Simulate a full‐front, side and/or rear hairline

    -Restore hairlines on part‐bald or fully bald heads

    -Camouflage – permanently – the symptoms of all levels of alopecia

    -Camouflage scarring resulting from previous hair transplant surgery

    -Hide scars, burns and birthmarks
-Boost the visual effect of a hair transplant

    So visit www.Skalp.com today and book a free consultation with their experts and unlock the face of a new you.

     

    Do check out this video of Marcin who found new confidence with Skalp and see the results for yourself.

     

    Brought to you by: SkalpTM (what does this mean)

     

  • ZAC EFRON Shows His Amazing Shirtless Backflip

    Woof de woof.. Hollywood Hunk Zac Efron does a shirtless backflip…

    And so did our hearts…

    Hollywood hunk and all round nice guy, Zac Efron got shirtless to backflip into the sea with friend, Gianluca Vacchi. Zac has been on holiday with the Italian businessman and actress Michelle Rodriguez.

    Earlier in the year Zac went topless after winning an MTV Movie Award. Efron had told fans that if he won the award he would accept it topless. See the pictures here.