THEGAYUK

Day: 29 August 2014

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Quentin Crisp: Naked Hope, St James Theatre, London

    ★★★ | Quentin Crisp: Naked Hope, St James Theatre, London
    “I became one of the stately homos of England.”

    From a conventional middle-class Surrey upbringing to global notoriety via his autobiography “The Naked Civil Servant”, Quentin Crisp was an extraordinary raconteur and wit. This new production, making its London premiere after an Edinburgh season, shows Quentin both in his beloved but squalid Chelsea flat as the 1970s dawn, and in his final years in his adopted New York, with the new millennium beckoning.

    The show draws on Quentin’s own writing and performances in a new script by Mark Farrelly, who also performs (West End credits include Who’s Afraid Of Virginia Woolf with Matthew Kelly). He is directed by the renowned Linda Marlowe, who has won awards for her own solo work such as Berkoff’s Women.
    Quentin Crisp was an extraordinary character. Sharp-tongued, controversial and seemingly fearless. Born in an age when gay sex was illegal and liable to land you in prison, he embraced what he was: a flamboyant and effeminate homosexual. Facing ridicule, beatings and scorn as well as the ardour of men in the back alleys of Soho, he became a notorious character. With the publication of his autobiography and subsequent television film of this, starring John Hurt, he took infamy and his waspish wit to a much wider audience. His one-liners were legendary as were his regular television chat show appearances.

    Alienating the gay rights movement of the 1970s and causing furore with flippant comments about anything from AIDS being a passing fad, homosexuality being a terrible disease and his views on Princess Diana, perhaps more shockingly, the seemingly very English based institution, moved to New York and made his home there in his later years.

    Farrelly’s play has strengths and weaknesses. He manages to capture some of the wit, acidity and pathos of Crisp but at times this is slightly patchy. The script is stronger in the first half when Crisp is shown alone in his London flat, addressing the audience as he postures and quips with the thin veneer showing some vulnerability beneath. Although physically much sturdier than Crisp, he does manage, mostly, to convey an essence of Crisp’s character and demeanour. The second half, where Farrelly depicts Crisp performing in New York just before his death, felt much weaker with the relentless round of bon mots becoming a bit tired and the audience participation element feeling a bit unnecessary to the show. I did, however, laugh quite a lot and it was good to be reminded of some of Crisp’s better one-liners in this well-researched show.

    Quentin Crisp: Naked Hope is on at St James Theatre until the 7th of September 2014

    Buy tickets here: http://www.stjamestheatre.co.uk/events/quentin-crisp-naked-hope/

    The show will also be touring the U.K. from October with shows at Greenwich, Cardiff, Dundee and Hemel Hempstead.

  • Kellie Maloney wants out of Celebrity Big Bro

    Kellie Maloney has admitted to some of her friend housemates that she wants out of the Celebrity Big Brother to ‘face it’.

    Kellie talks to James and George about her disagreement with Audley. Kellie said she asked to leave again last night and James asks her why she would do that. Kellie says that she should have been told that Audley had a ‘phobia about trans-people.’ James says: ‘I don’t think that is the case babe.’ Kellie says: ‘I was Audley’s biggest enemy in the outside world; I set out to bring him down totally in boxing. Audley tolerates me, he doesn’t accept me.’

    In a conversation in tonight’s episode, Kellie talks to Dee, saying that she wants to go and doesn’t see the benefit of staying and that she wants to ‘go outside and face it.’

    Later on, whilst with Edele, she has the same conversation, but Edele tells her that one purpose of Kellie staying is to raise awareness and Kellie says: ‘I’ve done that.’ Lauren comes over and says that Kellie is being silly and weak and that she is stronger than that. Audley says goodnight to Kellie and they have another hug.

    Big Brother continues tonight at 9:00PM on Channel 5

  • Chelsea And Ellen naked shower fight

    Chelsea Handler is an American comedian, actress, best-selling author, television host, writer and producer.

    She has been hosted her Award-Winning late-night talk show called Chelsea Lately on the ‘E’ Channel for some years now. This quick-witted potty-mouth very funny lady who has never ever held back at being wickedly hilarious with her very barbed comments on the most sensitive of issues, is now ending the show. In true Chelsea style she has made an outrageous video when she is naked in the shower and in a fight with lesbian superstar Ellen DeGeneres who is bitching that she was never invited to be on the show, and now it’s too late.

    Stateside this YouTube video has already gone viral.Watch it and weep.

  • Leslie Jordan is the second celeb to be evicted from Big Bro

    Former Star of the Show Leslie left the Celebrity Big Brother House to cheers from the audience.

    During his interview Emma remarked that he had “such a droopy lip” because he was evicted. Leslie suggests that it was more entertaining for the audience when he was “on my worst behaviour” joking that his 81 year old mother would probably fly over to tell him off.

    Leslie said that he “was surprised” that Audley nominated him, joking about their height difference, “Do you even know I’m down here?!” He went on to say that he was “called out for eating too much” and admitted that it “never crossed my mind that I couldn’t eat what I want”, admitting he took it on board and was calmer…which didn’t work out for him!

    When asked about his experience in the House, Leslie admitted “I was so naïve” and that he was advised to watch the show before going in. “I thought I was going to come in and it was going to be an endless cocktail party” he said, but goes on to describe it as like a “boot camp”

    After being shown footage of him losing his temper in the House, a visibly shocked Leslie said, “That’s so hard, I could weep… that’s not me…That’s a sad little man to me” Emma suggests that it was an adjustment period and he admitted that his life is very different on the outside world, with lots of red carpet events and slapping on the back, “I couldn’t even go into the Pod without someone irritating me” he added.

    Emma goes on to ask about his relationship with Frenchy and Leslie admitted “There were a lot of rituals” with her. He then goes on to discuss the time Frenchy “stomped all our food” and joked, “Little fatty likes his food!” He then said that he said “horrible things” to Frenchy but “gives her an A for effort” for trying to be nicer.

    The conversation moved onto his frustrations with Gary and Leslie said “Gary, I adore now” but admitted “He’s very difficult…but another A for effort” He added that “We had real problems with his hygiene” and suggests that he must be used to someone telling him when to clean. Leslie goes on to recount his argument about CGI, likening it to “the playground”

    Join Emma next Wednesday for Celebrity Big Brother’s third live eviction.