THEGAYUK

Day: 26 June 2016

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Barbu

    ★★★★ | Barbu

    What can be better on a rainy summer night in London than sitting in an atmospheric, mirror lined, wooden tent (once graced by Marlene Dietrich) and watching a troupe of hairy male acrobats strip down to their skimpy pants? Not much if you ask me. I quite like a hairy man in black pants. Cirque Alfonse have returned to London Wonderground after their hit show “Timber!” with another testosterone-fuelled show of daring circus skills. “Barbu” is absurd, silly and above all entertaining.

    Accompanied by a live band, who set the tone with a throbbing and dirty soundtrack, they roller skate, backflip and form human pyramids. The awkward yet thrilling dancing is a site to behold and there’s more perineum and hairy thigh flashed onstage than in a night in a backroom in Playa Del Ingles. Naturally they’re not just pieces of gristly, fleshy meat with beards (but oh what flesh). They’re also consummate performers who are self-mocking and raucously funny at times. Whilst not the most thrilling of circus shows around, there are moments that set the audience’s pulses racing. It’s also an incredibly raunchy show, provided dirty and sweaty gets you off. There’s a moment of pure beauty when they set a whole new standard of pole dancing with an ensemble horizontal twirl. It’s a wry and witty piece that’s good (if not clean) fun.

    The show starts a little too slowly and although there’s nothing limp about these men there’s the occasional flaccid moment in the first half hour or so. Prepare to be wowed when it warms up though. There’s real skill here and whilst the movements are less balletic than gruff bearish male strutting and lumbering this just adds to their charm. The physical performances are definitely spectacular too.

    The Southbank’s Wonderground is a stylish funfair themed go to venue for early evening drinks and there’s a frenetic feel to this show that mixes well with alcohol and groups of friends. It’s not hard to see why this show was such a hit in Edinburgh last year.

     

    Reviewed by Chris Bridges, follow on Twitter

  • That 2nd referendum petition just hit 3 million

    That 2nd referendum petition just hit 3 million

    A petition calling for a 2nd EU Referendum has hit over 3 million signatures.

    CREDIT: EU
    CREDIT: EU

    Over 3 million people in the UK are calling on the Government to effectively retake a EU Referendum.

    The petition which was launched before the British referendum on the European Union calls for “a rule that if the remain or leave vote is less than 60% based on a turnout  of less than 75% there should be another referendum”

    Within hours of the EU ref results, which saw just a slim majority of the electorate voting to leave the European Union over 70,000 people had voted for a second referendum.

    Now just two days after the result which has left many in a state of shock, over 3 million people have voted on the  petition for a second referendum, which is sure to become one of the largest petitions to be delivered to 10 Downing Street.

    As is stands Petitions which garner over 100,000 votes are eligible to be discussed by MPs in the House of Commons.

    The petition is asking the Government to carry out another referendum due to low turnout and a result that is less than 60 per cent.

    “We the undersigned call upon HM Government to implement a rule that if the remain or leave vote is less than 60% based a turnout less than 75% there should be another referendum.”

     

    During the run up and during the voting on the EU, THEGAYUK asked its readers in a series of Flashpolls which way they were planning or hoping to vote. Overwhelmingly the readership said they were in the Remain camp, with 60 per cent saying they had voted for Stay.

     

    ALSO READ: David Cameron will resign in October

    ALSO READ: David Cameron booed at Pride after vowing to step down as PM

    ALSO READ: 79,000 people have voted for a 2nd referendum

     

  • Tom Daley and Dustin Lance Black in bed together

    Ever wondered what Tom Daley and Dustin Lance Black might look like in bed together?

    Well now you know… it might not be exactly what you were expecting (or wanting  – you dirty minxes) but Olympic diver Tom Daley has posted a cute picture of him sharing a bed with his fiance the Oscar-winning Dustin Lance Black.

    He captioned the picture, ”

    “Someone has jet lag ☺ ❤????❤”

     

    The adorable picture also shows Dustin holding Tom’s arm as he rests up.

    So so cute.

     

  • Cabinet Minister comes out for Pride 2016

    Justine Greening has announced that she is in a same-sex relationship.

    The UK Secretary of State for International Development, Justine Greening has opened up about her sexuality, after announcing on Twitter that she is in a “happy same-sex relationship”.

    The MP for Putney, Roehampton and Southfields remarked that she had “… campaigned for Stronger In but sometimes you’re better off out!”

    She was referring to the UK’s European Union referendum which saw the UK’s electorate vote to Leave the EU, 52 per cent to 48 per cent.

    Her revelation was met with congratulations from many of her colleagues in the Conservatives.

    Former London Mayoral candidate Zac Goldsmith wished Greening well, Crispin Blunt, Chloe Smith and Guy Opperman were just a few of Tory MPs who wished Greening well.

    Nicky Morgan, the Minister for Women and Equal Opportunity said she was delighted for the couple.

    The UK’s Prime Minister David Cameron, who announced that he is to resign after failing to secure a Remain vote in the EU Referendum tweeted his congratulations saying her announcement was “great news”.

    Justin Greening later said that she was, “amazed and overwhelmed” by the support and that she really “appreciated” the messages.