THEGAYUK

Day: 3 July 2017

  • Book tickets for Lady Day at the Wyndham’s Theatre

    See the sensational Audra McDonald in Lady Day at the Wyndham’s Theatre in London

    Book tickets for Lady Day at the Wyndham’s Theatre

    Book tickets for the hit musical, Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill.

    Order your tickets now for Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill. Ticket prices from £14.50

    What is Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill all about?

    Audra McDonald making her West End Debut in a show where she performs as Billie Holiday in Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill. And while most of us have never actually seen the real Holliday sing live, I can only imagine McDonald is as close as the real thing.

    Our review

    ★★★★ It’s not just that McDonald is acting like Holiday, but McDonald sings like Holiday as well. There’s a reason why McDonald has won 6 Tony Awards, she is one if not the most accomplished stage actress of our time. The likes of Bernadette Peters, Patti LuPone or Elaine Paige don’t hold a candle to McDonald.

    Runtime

    TBC including an interval.

    Buy tickets

    Watch a clip from Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill

    More about the Wyndham’s Theatre

    Wyndham’s Theatre is a West End theatre, one of two opened by the actor/manager Charles Wyndham (the other is the Criterion Theatre). Located on Charing Cross Road in the City of Westminster, it was designed c.1898 by W.G.R. Sprague, the architect of six other London theatres between then and 1916. It was designed to seat 759 patrons on three levels although later refurbishment increased this to four.

    Click here for venue information including maps and directions.

    BOOK TICKETS NOW

    We use Ticketmaster as our official ticketing agent.

  • ADVICE | I have genital warts… Can I get rid of them with a cream?

    This week a reader asks how he might get rid of genital warts, Dr Nitin Shori answers the question.

    I have genital warts... Can I get rid of them with a cream?

    Dear Doctor

    I have genital warts and don’t want to get them frozen off again. Can I get a cream buy one or get one without the doctor having to look?

    Liam

    Hello Liam

    Genital warts are very common in England – second only among sexually transmitted infections (STIs) after chlamydia.

    They often appear as small fleshy growths or lumps in the genital or anal areas and are caused by a viral skin infection related to the human papillomavirus (HPV).

    While they can look unsightly and can sometimes bleed, they don’t usually cause any real threat to your health.

    However, they are a reminder of the need to take adequate precautions against STIs, many of which have very serious health consequences.

    As well as being passed on during sexual intercourse, genital warts can also be spread via skin-to-skin contact.

    It’s important to understand that a condom won’t always protect you and that it is possible for HPV to be transferred from apparently healthy skin.

    As you know, genital warts can be frozen off the skin using a technique called cryotherapy. Medical professionals can also use laser treatments, surgery or trichloroacetic acid (TCA) to remove genital warts.

    You’d prefer not to have to see a doctor to have your genital warts removed and you’ll be pleased to learn that prescription liquids and creams could be available for you to use at home if you have been previously diagnosed with genital warts by a doctor.

    Following an online consultation, the Pharmacy2U Online Doctor Service could prescribe you with one of a number of creams and liquids used to remove genital warts.

    Some work by stimulating the body’s immune system against HPV, while others have a directly toxic effect on the wart itself.

    Whatever you choose to do, it’s important to get yourself checked for other STIs if you think there’s a risk that you might have been infected.

  • Steve Grand’s itty bitty swimwear will give you feels

    Oh. My.

    American singer Steve Grand isn’t just famous for his music, but also for his choice of clothing (or apparent lack thereof). This weekend he reminded his fanbase that he can totally pull off lime green – a feat that most could only dream. Within 24 hours the picture had attracted 12,600 likes and over 240 comments… most of which read… “Steve Grand marry me”.

     

    https://www.instagram.com/p/BV8AO0IF_Gq/?taken-by=stevegrandmusic&hl=en

     

    As you can see there really isn’t much to it – but there’s certainly more there than the costume he wore for Broadway Bares last month in which we basically wore a jock strap – which came off. You can see it all here.

  • ADVICE | Can I get HIV from oral sex?

    ADVICE | Can I get HIV from oral sex?

    A reader asks our sexual health experts on how easy it is to get HIV from unprotected oral sex.

    can you get HIV from oral sex
    BIGSTOCK

    Dear TGUK
    Me and a former boyfriend had partial sex several months ago. We performed hand jobs on one another and he gave me a blowjob. The blowjob wasn’t long (only four sucks) and I didn’t cum. However, as a hypochondriac, I’m concerned about HIV. Prior to sex, I asked him if he had sex before. He had sex only once in the past and it was only mutual masturbation and fellatio. My parents won’t let me take a test because it would worsen my health anxiety. But should I be worried?

    Joe 16,

    Hello Joe

    Thank you for writing to us with your worries, it sounds as though you had a very low-risk encounter with your ex. Oral sex is considered a low-risk activity for catching HIV, especially if you’re on the receiving end of the BJ. However, it’s not just HIV that you have to consider here. Other nasties like Chlamydia and Gonorrhoea can be passed on by both receiver and giver, and might not even show symptoms, however, all these infections can be treated effectively if caught soon enough.

    If you are worried you should make an appointment to go to a clinic, or just pop along to a walk-in clinic. There are some amazing services – and now, there’s even an online clinic called S24, where you can take tests at home and have the results sent to your mobile phone, Google it.

    If your parents are standing in your way of getting a health check maybe you need to have a conversation with them about your worries, however at 16 you can go to a clinic by yourself you have the right to be treated confidentially.

    Hand-jobs and mutual masturbation are very safe activities, as long as you keep bodily fluids such as semen away from open cuts or sores. If you’re worried in future you can use condoms during oral, and there are even flavoured ones to try.

    Visiting a sex health clinic is an important part of life, taking responsibility for your health and for others you’re having sex with. Making regular visits every six months to once a year is suggested if you’re sexually active.

    So don’t delay and more importantly try not to worry yourself too much.

    Did you know you can order an at-home HIV test online? Click here to buy one (AMAZON)

    ** Advice given here is for guidance only. You should always seek to obtain your own medical advice from your own GP or doctor **

    Got a problem you’d like advice on? Use the form below to get in touch

  • Channel 4 got a love in for its trans and pan visibility

    Regardless of what you think about Channel 4’s controversial dating show N*ked Attraction, people loved the trans and pan visibility in the last episode.

    In a Naked Attraction first, trans and pansexual dating hopefuls were added to the naked panel. The show’s second season premiere featured self-identified pansexual Lizzy who came out after one year of university and says she is open to all genders saying, “I’m attracted to everyone”.

    Speaking about being transgender, presenter Anna Richardson said,

    “Transgender people identify with a different sex to the one they were assigned at birth. To bring their body in line with how they identify some take hormones to promote physical changes within their bodies.

    “Of the estimated half a million transgender people in the UK, only a third have gender confirmation surgery where their sexual organs are altered”.

    Lizzy had six of naked people to choose from including two trans people.

    Naturally, the good people of Twitter had a lot to say about the programme, but the representation of trans people was generally appreciated, with some pointing out that trans representation on mainstream television was poor and that Naked Attraction’s approach deserved kudos.

    https://twitter.com/imjustboujee/status/880542426246426624?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thegayuk.com%2Fchannel-4s-naked-attraction-had-trans-and-pan-dating-hopefuls-and-people-loved-it%2F

    https://twitter.com/ChrisChetal73/status/880562849940217856?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thegayuk.com%2Fchannel-4s-naked-attraction-had-trans-and-pan-dating-hopefuls-and-people-loved-it%2F

    https://twitter.com/W4352/status/880543549514805251?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thegayuk.com%2Fchannel-4s-naked-attraction-had-trans-and-pan-dating-hopefuls-and-people-loved-it%2F

  • Four totally gay things to do in Hamburg

    We sent Travel Editor, Nick Baker to Hamburg, to find out how gay it was…

    I’m a big fan of exploring new cities, and when you book a trip to Germany there are a few cities that pop to the forefront of your mind. You may fancy the hipster-chic of Berlin, or the traditional beer-fest that is Bavaria, and so cities like Hamburg are often overlooked.

    Amidst the melee of middle-class stag dos, I stumbled onto the streets of Hamburg. Striving to slightly distinguish itself from the hipster-haven that is Berlin, Hamburg has a nautical history that is evident in most of its decor. Since 80% of the city was obliterated by bombings during World War II, the millennial-style spaces inhabit less-than-ancient warehouses and dockyards.

    The gay scene is different in every city in every country around the world, so don’t expect Hamburg to be just like any other German city. Here are a few of the totally gay things you should try and do whilst you’re in Hamburg.

    1. The Drinking!

    You can, of course, go day drinking, in fact, we would highly recommend that you do given the city’s excellent selection of beers. However, don’t expect there to be a bustling gay crowd during the day, even on the weekend. The Germans love to go drinking and they love to go partying, but unlike the Brits, they don’t start early. Bars won’t get busy until about 10 pm and the clubs won’t even tend to open until about 2 am.

    2.  The Saunas

    Again, of course, you can go to one of Hamburg’s gay saunas at night, but the crowd is better during the day… I’ve been told. My sources say that the best time to hit up a gay sauna in Hamburg is Sunday afternoon when people have recovered enough from the night before. Getting in at 6 am means that it will be a few hours before many of the good gays resurface and head to the sauna to sweat out the sin from the night before.

    3. Towel Policy

    Here our British modesty tends to be our downfall, but when in Rome (Hamburg), do as the Romans (Hamburgers). No one wears a towel in the sauna, whether it’s a gay sauna or the one at your hotel. And while you may not enjoy an eyeful of that old straight guy’s crotch, there’s no reason not to give him a sneaky peak of the goods while you can. You might just make his day.

    4. Hotelling LGBT Style

    While we are proud to support the LGBT-friendly hotels that have become a staple mark of Hamburg’s gay district, you don’t need to limit yourself to the hotels in St. Georg. There are plenty of cool, trendy, friendly, hipster hotels dotted around the city that are never too far away from the gay parties. I stayed at the adorably chic 25Hours Hotel in HafenCity, which wasn’t necessarily the closest location to the gay scene, but was easily one of the coolest hotels I’ve ever stayed in.

    Designed with a distinctive maritime theme, it oozed millennial and was a great place to hang out (especially when your bloody Easyjet flight isn’t until 9:45pm and your checkout time was at noon). Free wifi, portable speakers you can take around town with you, and a short ride to St. Georg on the nearby 24-hour Meßberg underground.

    Plus they make THE best soy latte that I’ve ever had!

    Check out Hamburg Tourism for more information on Hamburg, and you can find out more about the Hamburg Lesbian and Gay scene here.

  • CAR REVIEW | VW Golf SE Nav 1.0 TSi

    ★★★★ |  VW Golf SE Nav 1.0 TSi – Tortoise Powered hare

    REVIEW | VW Golf SE Nav 1.0 TSi

    One of the shocks I had this year was with the smallest engined Golf in their popular petrol SE Nav range.

    It lacked the bells and whistles of the R, GTE and Alltrack estate in a lot of ways. The Golf now comes with a more confusing array of options and dashboards and specs but is the SE Nav with its one whole litre worth of power pack going to leave you left out of the Golf club?

    No is the answer. I wanted to try a lowly model and while not the base model, it still lacks the touches. Or so I thought. By comparison, the S is the base model now at £17,625. The SE Nav comes in at a shade under £19,500. Spec wise you’d be a fool to look at the S when the SE Nav gives you parking sensors, cruise controls, Sat Nav with 8” screen and mirror link to your smartphone along with a host of other options.

    For the extra money, you do get more power from your little engine too. A whole 25 more horses and 1g/km of CO2 worse for the environment. That extra money is worth it for the extra oomph from the engine alone.

    It’s a sweet little unit. It will carry you to 122mph and will do the traffic light Grand Prix in 9.9 seconds. Not quick but not slow. An original Mk1 GTi would only do it a bit faster. There was no hint of turbo lag at all or raging surge. This SE Nav felt very linear in its power supply. And all from 3 cylinders too.

    Living with this little engined big car is quite easy too. It has all the attributes of a Golf. You can’t fault the fit and finish. Again VW has moved the goal posts on quality. There was once a state of play where lower models really did feel like the bread and butter of the range. Not so here. It clunked like a Golf should.

    Easy is probably the key to the 1 litre SE Nav. Combined fuel economy of 58.9 mpg is good. How good that will be with 4 up and some luggage is anyone’s guess. The trouble with a little engine is that it needs to be worked hard. If most of the time you will travel by yourself or with one other, I doubt you will notice much of a difference.

    On the move, it shifted. The 6-speed gearbox was easily matched in ratios to the engine. The course set out comprised of a variety of driving situations you’d encounter in a week’s worth of driving. I expected to do a lot of cog swapping but I didn’t. Admittedly 5th and 6th seemed very high and more suited for when the engine is on the A and M roads.  I found 3rd and 4th more than ample in getting me buzzing along.

    Inside there wasn’t much of a cacophony of sounds. Sound deadening being key to the serine driving ambience and quality feel of the cabin. It’s not an exciting cabin to sit in if I’m honest but at £12k less than the higher spec models I have tested you would expect it. It’s Germanic. At the end of the day, it is a Golf and this is what Golf does. And it does it very well.

    I’ve spent a lot of this review talking about the engine and with good reason too. We in the UK seem to sway away from the smaller engined bigger cars and that is a shame. This engine livens up a normal hatchback. The big selling Golf SE Nav 1.4 just can’t better the thrill of the turbo 3 cylinder engine. That said the quandary VW put you in is that the 1.4 starts at just £1300 more. It has more power and will go faster for 4 miles to the gallon less. It’s a tricky one to now call but I’d go with the little engine. From tortoise expectations to hare ability, it’s a total buzz.

    Likes

    Good value
    Sweet little engine
    Ride quality

    Dislikes

    Bit drab inside
    Plain fascia
    Difficult choice choosing 1.0 or 1.4 engines

    The Lowdown
    Car – VW Golf SE Nav 1.0 TSi
    Price – £ 20,065 (as tested)
    MPG – 58.9 mpg (combined)
    Power – 110 bhp
    0-62mph – 9.9 seconds
    Top Speed – 122 mph
    Co2 – 109 (g/km)

  • THE UNDATEABLE GAY | It’s not me it’s them

    To quote a best friend:
    “You must be the unluckiest person I know when it comes to love and men.”

    I wouldn’t disagree with her, nor would the rest of my friends, families or readers of this column. But her pearls of wisdom got me thinking. And before anyone says anything, yes, I am capable of getting the old grey matter to work. I’m very intellectual. I’ve got a degree, you know. A line I often pull out the bag if anyone questions my intellect.

    But here I go, distracted and side tracked again. Back to what her pearls of wisdom got me thinking about. WHERE AM I GOING WRONG WITH MEN?! To be this undateable, I must be doing something not quite dateable. So I thought, let me retrace my steps. To my last two potential Mr Rights who added themselves to my long list of Mr Wrongs.

    Well, first up, there’s a man from Chiswick. I met him on Grindr. And f*ck me sideways, he actually wanted a date and not a quick bunk up on the high road. After the initial shock of being asked on a date (from Grindr), I accepted and we agreed to meet in a beautiful little pub on the river.

    As soon as I saw him, I noticed he had slightly BFG ears but this didn’t deter me. I thought, how handy they would be to hold onto when he drops to his knees. PMA. Every cloud has a silver lining. The conversation was quite pleasant and the wine flowed like the rivers of Babylon. Until we got onto the topic of Boy Scouts. I disclosed that my cub leader had been arrested for fiddling with some of my fellow Cubs.

    As I continued on in this fashion of unsuitable date conversation, I felt Joan Rivers and Pam Ann (and Sauvignon Blanc) taking over my body and my mouth,

    “I had to be questioned by the police. Luckily he didn’t touch me. I don’t know why. I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”

    I sat there, laughing and he looked at me,

    “That’s not funny!”

    “Oh”, my jaw dropped quicker than a gay boy in a football changing room. And before I knew it, he’d booked an Uber and left. Obviously didn’t appreciate my sense of humour. Oh well, at least he admitted it and for once, I had a reason for why a date had ditched me. Our sense of senses of humour were definitely not compatible.

    But as you know, you don’t keep me down for long. Not unless it involves a rugby squad and blow jobs. But that’s a story for another column. Anyway, stop the side tracking. I’m scattier than a March hare. Is that even scatty? I don’t know. I just remember my dear old Nan saying it from time to time. Oh no, it’s just hit me. It’s as mad as a March hare. Well, you get the drift!

    Back to my story of the second Mr Wrong, who once again, came from Grindr. I know you can see a pattern forming here. Well, we hit it off. We had a spark better than the new year fireworks on the Thames. Or so I thought. We were up until 4 in the morning on our first couple of times talking. And then suddenly, nothing. He did a quicker u-turn than Theresa May. But I thought, hang on a damn second. I ain’t having this so I thought, for once, I’m going to get to the bottom of this behaviour.

    So here is a transcript of a WhatsApp conversation:

    MARK: I’m really interested to know what changed for you. Because we were talking till late at night, so full on and then nothing!
    MR WRONG: I dunno. I just don’t chase people and doubt we’re compatible in the vanity sense, I don’t care about Botox and fake tan.
    MARK: But you knew about the fake tan and the Botox before you spoke to me.
    MR WRONG: Well it didn’t bother me but then it did. I can’t help it, I’m just insecure with guys.
    MARK: Well, if you’d have just given us a try, you might have had a great time. But now you’ll just carry on with your insecurity. I was there, I was willing…

    I do like having the last word. And I’ve never heard from either of these Grindr men ever again. Lesson one that I’ve learned, don’t expect anymore than a shag and an STD from Grindr. And lesson two, it’s not me, it’s them. I feel so liberated.

     

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