THEGAYUK

Day: 13 September 2017

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Outlaws to In-Laws, King’s Head Theatre, London

    ★★★★ | Outlaws to In-Laws

    THEATRE REVIEW | Outlaws to In-Laws, King's Head Theatre, London

    London is very fortunate to have a theatre like the King’s Head because of its repertoire of gay-themed shows. And now it’s in the middle of presenting its LGBT Festival with the showcase of a new play called Outlaws to In-Laws.

    Outlaws to In-Laws attempts, successfully, to depict the experiences of gay men over the last seven decades. And while it’s a subject that would be daunting for any theatre, or playwright, involved, the seven playwrights who wrote the seven shows that cover seven decades of gay life do their darnedest to both entertain and educate the audience. Here are some of the highlights:

    Happy and Glorious – by Philip Meeks – is set in the 1950s on the day of Queen Elizabeth’s coronation where two men fall into a tryst and both their lives change forever.

    Mister Tuesday – by Jonathan Harvey (Beautiful Thing) – Peter and Jimmy have sex, on Tuesdays, but we soon realize that Jimmy is married with children while Peter threatens to blackmail him just so that he can keep the trysts, and possibly more, ongoing.

    Reward – by Jonathan Harvey – a riveting story where a rough and tough skinhead and a young black man meet at a bus stop and fall into a relationship, but it’s illicit one where both of them could be in real danger. Both actors, Jack Bence and Michael Duke, are excellent.

    1984 – by Patrick Wilde – where two men have an encounter, and one of them, a politico for Thatcher, realizes that all that he stands for is soon to change.

    Brothas – by Topher Campbell – where two black men, Dwayne and Remi, have fun cruising on a black dating site, slighting the unattractive ones while favouring the more ‘looking and acting straight’ ones. But it’s Dwayne who’s in it for more than just the sex.

    While most of the stories are very good, what is best about this production are the performances. All seven actors give it their best, but it’s a few of them who really stand out. Bence, as previously mentioned, is highly memorable as the skinhead in Reward and as Peter in Mister Tuesday – both roles require high stakes drama and passion, and Bence delivers, while both Myles Devonté and Duke look very comfortable in their roles in Brothas – they are both naturals in front of the audience.

    Outlaws to In-laws is two hours of theatre that, while a bit cobbled together, is still a very good journey that takes us from decade to decade of gay life linked together very cleverly and showcasing the talent of the playwrights and especially the actors.

    Outlaws to In-Laws is now playing at The King’s Head Theatre until September 23.

    For details of The King’s Head’s other gay production, “Gypsy Queen,” please go here:

    https://kingsheadtheatre.ticketsolve.com/shows/873576764

  • Where are the cast of Queer As Folk UK now?

    Where are the cast of Queer As Folk UK now?

    It’s fair to say that Queer As Folk was a game changer for British television. It broke boundaries and totally f**ked with the heads of the readerships of several right-wing newspapers, but 18 years on, where are the cast now?

    where are the cast of Queer As Folk now
    CREDIT: Channel 4

    The show, which followed the lives of three gay men in Manchester, became a classic in the LGBT hall of fame. Those of us, old enough to remember, can recall how the show courted acclaim and controversy in equal measure – but unlike the US version the UK’s QAF was gone as quickly as it arrived after 10 episodes over two series, QAF was put to bed never to return to British screens again.

    So in the 20 years since the show’s end, what’s happened to the cast?

    Charlie Hunnam

    Since the heady days of “I’m doing it, I’m really doing” Charlie has cemented himself a career in Hollywood starring in major blockbusters like Pacific Rim, The Lost City of Z and the newly-released King Arthur: Legend of the Sword.

    Apparently, he even turned down the starring role, eventually filled by Jamie Dornan, in the mega-hit, Fifty Shades Of Grey.

    NEXT >>> AIDEN GILLIAN >>>

  • Two men wanted over a homophobic assault in London

    Police in London have released efits of two men they wish to speak to following a homophobic assault on two men in Lambeth.

    Two men wanted over a homophobic assault in London
    Police have released these e fits of two men they would like to question in connection to homophobic assaults on two men in Lambert, London.

    Detectives are appealing for witnesses after two men were assaulted in Lambeth in what detectives are treating as a homophobic hate crime.

    Officers have today released E-fits of two men they wish to identify and speak with.

    Police were called by the London Ambulance Service at around 00:50hrs on Sunday, 30 July to Windmill Walk, SE1 to a report of two men injured following an assault.

    The victims, aged 53 and 49, suffered facial injuries and were taken to a south London hospital for treatment. They have since been discharged.

    “Motivated by homophobia”

    The men told police that they were approached by a group of four males who launched an unprovoked attack which appeared to be motivated by homophobia. The suspects were all described as white and wearing hooded tops. One of them spoke with a strong Northern Irish accent.

    The assaults, in which one of the victims lost some teeth, are being treated as a suspected hate crime.

    An ambulance was called at 12.50 AM on Sunday, 30 July to Windmill Walk, SE1 to a report of two men injured following an assault.

    Detective Constable Matt Cockroft, from Lambeth CID, said, “This was a shocking attack on two men who were simply walking along the road.

    “I would urge anyone who recognises either of these men to contact us. I would also like to speak with anyone who witnessed the assault but has not yet to come forward.”

    No arrest made

    There have been no arrests and enquiries continue.

    Any witnesses and anyone with information is asked to call police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111, or Tweet via @MetCC.

    The Met have long since recognised the impact of hate crime on communities and the hidden nature of this crime, which remains largely under-reported. The MPS stands together with policing partners, colleagues and groups to investigate all hate crime allegations, support victims and their families, and bring perpetrators to justice.

    We would appeal to anyone who witnesses or suffers hate crime of any type to immediately report it so that action can quickly be taken and catch those responsible.

    Hate crime can be reported through 999 in an emergency, by dialling 101 in a non-emergency, directly at a police station, through the MOPAC Hate Crime app or through community reporting methods such as Tell MAMA, Galop, or the Community Security Trust [CST].

  • Edith Windsor, gay marriage activist dies, 88

    Edith Windsor, who helped end the ban on same-sex marriage has died at the age of 88.

    Ms Windsor’s lawyer, Roberta Kaplan, announced that the same-sex marriage activist had died at the age of 88, in New York, USA. The cause of her death was not given, but Ms Windsor had been struggling with a heart condition for years.

    Commenting on her death President Obama said that she was a “quiet” hero for the equality cause. He said, “Few were as small in stature as Edie Windsor — and few made as big a difference to America.”

    Ms Windsor was 81 when she brought a lawsuit (United States V. Windsor) which would end up being the turning point for LGBT rights in America. In 2009, after the death of her first wife, Thea Spyer, to whom she was married to in Canada, Ms Windsor was prevented from getting a marital deduction on Spyer’s estate, because their marriage was not legal in the US.

    Ms Windsor was successful, with justices ruling 5-4 in June 2013. The law (the Defense of Marriage Act DOMA) was deemed unconstitutional and the stepping stones for same-sex marriage were in place. Same-sex marriage became legal in every state the US in 2015.

    Ms Windsor remarried in 2016 to Judith Kasen, in New York City Hall.

    Edith Windsor became a legend because of her tireless activism. Her legal action in United States V. Windsor was instrumental in bringing down DOMA and ensuring that same-sex marriage would be legal across every state in the US.

    Edith Windsor appeared at Washington DC pride in 2017 as the Parade’s Grand Marshall. She was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and worked for IBM from 1958. In May 1968, she attained the title designating the highest level technical position at IBM, Senior Systems Programmer. In 1975 she left the company and with her severance pay she began to focus on her activism.

     

     

     

  • When is Autopsy of Maurice Gibbs showing on Channel 5?

    In the new Channel 5’s Autopsy series, the programme looks at the tragic death of the songwriting and singing legend, Maurice Gibbs.

    When is Autopsy of Maurice Gibbs showing on Channel 5?

    What really happened to the Maurice Gibbs, one-third of one of the world’s most famous bands. Forensic pathologist Dr Jason Payne-James takes a look into the life and death of Maurice Gibbs to find out exactly why he died.

     The star died in his Miami home in 2003.
    in this programme, forensic pathologist Dr Jason Payne-James examines all the available evidence medical to create a timeline of the events leading to his death.
    The show begins this Friday, 15th September, on Channel 5 at 10.00 PM and again on 5+1 one hour later.