THEGAYUK

Author: Chris Bridges

  • THEATRE REVIEW | A Princess Undone, Park Theatre, London

    ★★★☆☆ | A Princess Undone

    Long before Diana, there was a princess who was a definite queens’ queen. Fags, booze, a withering put down and a tragic relationship history: she’d probably have had a lot in common with most of the regulars in your local gay bar. Richard Stirling’s witty play looks at the ageing Margaret in 1993 when she had made a decision to burn the archives and was rooting through old letters and documents, ably assisted by her mother’s camp servant ‘Backstairs’ Billy. Into this picture of domestic disharmony comes an embarrassing old flame who’d she rather forget, gangster John Bindon.

    Felicity Dean is a magnificent Margaret and has a stage presence that is sure to make the audience nervously sit up straight and curtsey on the way out. There’s something deliciously terrifying about her. The script is full of searing little one-liners and references to amusing bits of Royal gossip. There’s an amusing thread running through the script about Bindon’s legendary mammoth dick, too. Strangely, though, the play just doesn’t really work as well as it should. The jokes fall flat and whilst funny it never raises much more than a wry smile. The characters mostly feel a little bit one note and there’s nothing especially revelatory about the play.

    If you’re a fan of Margaret (and if you’re not, then what the hell is wrong with you?) then this is a diverting couple of hours at the theatre and worth a look.

    Runs until 17.03.18 at the Park Theatre, London

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Dust, Soho Theatre

    ★★★★★ | Dust, Soho Theatre

    Alice, the central character of Dust, is dead, looking on as the aftermath of her suicide causes unexpected reactions. Don’t expect Patrick Swayze style saucy potters’ wheels or James Stewart’s revelations about how wonderful life is, though. This is certainly not one of those kinds of stories. Life for Alice hasn’t been wonderful at all due to crippling depression. Sounds like the bleakest show ever? Thankfully, at the hands of writer/performer Milly Thomas this is a compelling story that has raw humour and is half gut-wrenchingly sad and half gut-achingly funny.

    She’s a 21st-century woman who just happens to have been suffering from intractable depression. She’s also totally relatable. Embarrassing relatives, uncomfortable sex and a boyfriend with a penis that looks like a five-year-olds’ drawing of a mushroom: who hasn’t experienced one (or all) of the above?

    Occasionally gross, frequently candid and eminently likeable, it’s hard not to root for Alice, even though you know what’s coming for her. This is a rarely innovative handling of a sensitive subject with all the taboos ripped away.

    Runs until 17.03.18

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Angry, Southwark Playhouse

    ★★★ | Angry, Southwark Playhouse

    For someone who’s a fan of Philip Ridley’s work this promised to be a thrilling night and one which I was looking forward to. Six new monologues are performed by one actor/actress. The roles are gender neutral with switches in who plays which monologue each night. So far so good. Sadly, though, the evening felt somewhat disjointed with writing that felt like off-cuts.

    If you know Ridley’s work then you’ll know what to expect but that also that you can never quite predict what’s going to be on offer. All the classic Ridley elements are there: incandescent rage, confrontation with the audience, wild flights of fancy and other wordliness. Whilst the plays are disturbing, dark and devilishly funny, they just don’t feel meaty enough to grab you.

    ‘Bloodshot’ is a bizarre tale of a young man/woman who has a strange erotic encounter with a younger male. ‘Angry’ is a shouted piece of pure fury and ‘Air’ is a longer piece that looks at a cataclysmic chain of events. There are moments of pure delight and pure horror which don’t disappoint. However, whilst Tyrone Huntley and Georgie Henley are both accomplished actors and bring the writing to life ultimately, the evening is too disconnected and muddled to have the impact it should.

    https://southwarkplayhouse.co.uk/show/angry/

    Until 06.02.18

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Mary Stuart, Duke of Yorks Theatre

    ★★★★★ | Mary Stuart, Duke of York’s Theatre

    Two queens fighting to the death. No, not Vauxhall on a Saturday but a fascinating slice of Elizabethan history. Mary Stuart seeks refuge in England only to be imprisoned by her cousin, Queen Elizabeth the 1st, as a potential threat to the English throne. Mary anxiously awaits her fate whilst Elizabeth tortures herself deciding the best course of action. Sounds dry, fusty and irrelevant? Not in the slightest in this bold and modern update on Schiller’s play.

    Robert Icke is a director who can breathe extraordinary new life into works. His versions of Hamlet, 1984 and Uncle Vanya (to name a few) have garnered awards and shown his skills. Here, he’s taken the text, staging and costume and made it feel thoroughly modern and relevant. There’s barely a ruff in sight and the dialogue feels like something you might eavesdrop upon in Parliament in 2018.

    Two top UK actors take the lead roles, Juliet Stevenson and Lia Williams (currently to be seen in Kiri and The Crown). There’s a gimmick but it’s one with no hint of tackiness. Both actors switch roles depending on the results of a tossed coin at the start of the play. It’s a tense moment for both the actors and the audience as the two face off on stage and await their role allocation.

    All in, it’s a riveting three hours. The stripped back set, pared back dialogue and emotional intensity combine with two killer performances to make this a nail-biting experience. It’s a fine example of top acting in a top production that also remains entertaining.

     

    Mary Stuart runs at the Dukes Of York’s Theatre until 31st March 2018

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Dietrich: Natural Duty

    ★★★★★ | Dietrich: Natural Duty

    Described as a one (wo)man show, Peter Groom’s take on legendary teutonic beauty Marlene Dietrich is literally breathtaking at points. There’s an uncanny likeness between him and the screen goddess with his cat-like cheekbones and arched brows. He’s clearly spent a vast amount of time studying her mannerisms and speech too as he captures every wink, every drag on a cigarette and each sultry gaze. There’s something uncanny about his appearance that makes you feel that you’re anywhere but in the Vaults which is essentially a dank series of tunnels under Waterloo Station. The bare brick and smoky interior is entirely appropriate with it’s underground club feel.

    Groom has written a witty show with a touch of pathos based around Dietrich’s wartime experiences. It was a stark choice for her as she made the decision to leave behind her beloved mother along with her mother country and flee to America. Taking on the role of ‘Captain Dietrich’ she entertained and supported the troupes and saw first hand some of the horrors of war.

    The show is based around a saucy cabaret performance with Groom slinking on in a spectacular gown and rasping out some of Dietrich’s songs. Heckling by a reporter makes her pause and reluctantly answer some probing questions. Not only is Groom a fabulous mimic but he’s also a deft and skilled writer as the script lurches between camp comedy and deep sadness. This is an absolute tour de force. If you can catch this tonight or tomorrow then get down to the Vaults Festival. If not then keep your eyes peeled as this is a show that’s sure that make a return.

    Dietrich: Natural Duty runs at the Vault Festival until 28th January 2018

     

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Woman Before a Glass

    ★★★★☆ | Woman Before a Glass

    Lanie Robertson’s Lady Day at the Emerson Bar and Grill looked at Billie Holiday’s heroin fogged last days. Here his razor sharp wit is turned towards wealthy art collector Peggy Guggenheim.

    1960s Venice and Peggy is pontificating on the terrace of her palazzo with an arm full of designer dresses, wondering what to wear for a TV appearance. She’s in the mood for chatting and addresses the audience of the tiny Jermyn Street Theatre directly. Brash, vulgar and monstrous, she’s a vision of bouffant hair, free-swinging breasts and is mistress of the crude comment. Looking back at her life she stalks the stage, swigging gin martinis and smoking. She amusingly refers to numerous ‘fucks’ including a few of the local gondoliers and lovingly reflects on her modern art collection, spitting venom when talking about that bitch who her uncle married. Beneath the campy veneer of tasteless monstrosity, there’s inner sadness as she talks about her father (who drowned on the Titanic), her great love who tragically died and her troubled depressive daughter, Pegeen.

    This is a tight script with the 90 minutes broken down into three sections. The character of Peggy is well rounded and thoroughly credible. At points, it’s a bawdy comedy but it veers towards tragedy as this strong woman regales us with her triumphs and troubles.

    Judy Rosenblatt is nothing less than stellar and her Peggy is a force to be reckoned with. Whether you’re already a devotee of Peggy Guggenheim or sadly unaware of this colourful character, this is a performance worth seeing.

    Woman Before A Glass is playing at the Jermyn Street Theatre until 3rd Feb 2018

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Still Ill, New Diorama Theatre

    THEATRE REVIEW | Still Ill, New Diorama Theatre

    Still Ill | ★★★

    Sophie is a jobbing actress who’s working in a terrible soap opera, playing a surgeon with a brain tumour. She’s making up her income having endless neurological examinations performed on her by trainee doctors. Struck down by a series of strange nervous system symptoms she’s left unable to function and feeling desperate with paralysis, spasms and seizures. Naturally, modern medicine has an answer. Even if there’s not a cure then there’s a name for what’s happening to you and some sort of treatment, isn’t there? But what if every doctor you meet tells you that it’s good news and the tests are negative? The more doctors you see (and there’s a lot of them), the more tests you have and the more time passes your symptoms get worse and there’s still no answer. Is it still ‘good news’ about how normal your test results are? Welcome to the world of Functional Neurological Disorder, a surprisingly common and debilitating condition.

    Still Ill returns to the The New Diorama Theatre near Warren Street after a successful run in 2016. It’s an achingly sad play with touches of comedy but an overall sense of optimism. It’s not as grim as the subject matter makes it sound. The company have carefully researched their subject under expert guidance and come up with a witty piece of theatre about a poorly understood area of medicine (and indeed life).

    The cast of three skilfully play multiple parts and it’s convincing and watchable albeit with the odd off note where it feels like they’re over-egging the pudding. There’s a strange backing track of live music and a sense of physicality to some of the action and it almost works. This is well worth watching not just to gain an understanding of a rarely mentioned illness but to see what appears to be a sane response to a mad world.

     

    Still Ill run at the New Diorama Theatre until the 27th January 2018

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Callisto a queer epic, Arcola Theatre, London

    ★★★ | Callisto, Arcola Theatre London

    CREDIT Lidia Crisafull

    Callisto is four tales for the price of one in a time travelling epic concerning queer people in different eras. They’re not stand alone stories but are interspersed and entwined with each other. Basically, it’s a poor man’s ‘Cloud Atlas’ but with LGBT people. The first tale is about opera singer Arabella who’s married to another woman and about to be exposed and get herself in some serious trouble. Secondly, Alan Turing is talking to the mother of the boy who was his first love. Thirdly, Tammy is on the trail of a hot porn actress who she’s become infatuated with. Finally, CAL is an A.I. in the future who’s fallen for a human.

    They’re a mixed bag of plays which don’t all work as well as they might and there’s something derivative about the whole set-up at times. The scenes about the 17th-century female couple are the strongest and the Alan Turing scenes are cleverly written but lack much drive, floundering in parts. The other two sections fare less well, especially the futuristic part. If the future involves talking in strange mixed up speech whilst wearing bicycle lights shining down your legs and tee-shirt, culottes combos with odd side ties then count me out of it.

    The production has merits with strong acting and a wry sense of humour but doesn’t quite fill its potential. Regardless, it’s an engaging evening and worthy of a look.

    Callisto a queer epic is playing at the Arcola Theatre, London

     

     

  • THEATRE REVIEW | La Soiree, Aldwych Theatre, London

    ★★★★ | La Soiree, Aldwych Theatre, London

    La Soiree has garnered quite a reputation on the cabaret scene over the past few years.

    They’ve won a couple of Olivier Awards, headlined the circus field at Glastonbury and globe-trotted around in various Spiegeltents and opera houses. Now they’ve gone all upmarket and are inhabiting the lovely old but freshly repainted Aldwych Theatre. Don’t worry though. They might be in the West End but there’s still plenty of filth and subversion to keep you dirty birdies happy. Or not. If you want to take your nan and your nephew there’s a toned down version sans smut called ‘La Petite Soiree’ (aimed at ages 8 and upwards).

    They’ve re-jigged the theatre to make it look like a cabaret venue with on stage seating and rows of in the round stalls seats. You’ve got to have nerves of steel if you’re planning on sitting on stage, by the way. There’s a distinctly ‘cabaret’ atmosphere (i.e. slightly drunken) and it’s a fast-paced frenetic show with little chance to pause for breath. Unlike a lot of cabaret shows there’s no compere and no filler. It’s just back to back acts. If you’ve seen it before you might be looking forward to the pole dancing city gents and their amazing pecs. Sadly, they’re not here this year but don’t fret. There’s plenty of buff male flesh including a comedic set piece with two chaps barely hiding their two old chaps behind skimpy towels.

    It’s the usual mix of comedy, acrobatics, hoola-hooping, puppetry and plain weirdness (a woman spinning around in an aerial display, suspended by her hair? I rest my case M’lud). Perfect for a Christmas night out or for raising you out of a case of the New Year doldrums.

    La Soiree plays until 3rd Feb 2018

  • THEATRE REVIEW | The Black Cat Cabaret, Leicester Square, London

    ★★★★★ | The Black Cat Cabaret, Leicester Square, London

    The Black Cat team are riding high with their unique brand of impish entertainment. They’ve got regular shows at Live at Zedel at Piccadilly and now they’ve invaded the cheesy Christmas market in Leicester Square and landed in the glamorous, mirrored 1920s Paradiso Spiegeltent. Move over wooden huts, mulled wine in a plastic cup and greasy sausages. The Black Cat has infiltrated and is throwing all tackiness aside in favour of subversive fun.

    The line-up is ever changing but you can expect circus, cabaret and burlesque. There’s also bound to be some testosterone pumped male torsos to liven up a chilly winter evening. Regular host Dusty Limits is a deadpan joy as he oozes cynicism and wit. It’s a well-curated blend of acts and one with an eye on intelligent parody rather than cheap thrills. Naturally and thankfully, there are also cheap thrills.

    The problem with cabaret and burlesque is that after a few visits it can feel like you’ve seen it all and you can be left thinking: Oh, another fire-eater. Oh, another hula hooper. Oh, another semi-naked man in a giant wheel type thing. The Black Cat is careful to only chose acts that have a bit more to add, acts that play with the form and respectfully make fun of it, as well as themselves. I was lucky enough to see the hilarious drag star Meth strutting her stuff as well as an array of dark circus acts, a bizarre string quartet and the most comically disaffected hula hoop act that I’ve ever seen.

    Brighten up a winter night and stroke the pussy if you dare. The Black Cat can bite but he also entertains. Oh, wear a warm coat and knock a few Egg Nogs back too. It’s bloody freezing in that wooden tent.

    The Black Cat runs on Thu 30th Nov 7.30 PM, Sat 9th Dec 7.30pm, Sat 16th Dec 7.30 PM, Thu 28th Dec 7.30 PM, Sun 31st Dec 6.30 PM – 2 AM at Leicester Square

  • THEATRE REVIEW | The Tailor-Made Man, White Bear Theatre, London

    ★★★ | The Tailor-Made Man, White Bear Theatre, London

    Listen up! There’s a Hollywood film star who’s riding high with a string of hits. He’s handsome, suave and funny, bagging awards and melting hearts as he stares into the eyes of and kisses the faces off the hottest female stars around. The gossip is, though, he’s secretly gay: lacking in boundaries and groping handsome younger men on set, loitering in cruising grounds and having dalliances with fit sailors. The word is that he also has a sweet interior designer boyfriend waiting patiently at home. Oh, my is this about to come crashing down! You know this story from the internet gossip sites?

    Maybe you do, maybe you don’t but no, it’s not 2017 but the 1920s and the story of Billy Haines who’s films were consigned to the vaults after he refused to marry a ‘beard’ and was caught with his pants down once too often. It’s an interesting and prescient story and one that this play presents in technicolour glory.

    Handsome Mitchell Hunt (Mister Selfridge) heads up this universally strong cast and director Bryan Hodgson has tightened the occasionally clumsy script into something pacy (that’s pacy. Not Spacey). It’s not exactly deep and there’s minimal characterisation with it often feeling like a dramatised Wikipedia entry being put on show. The humour is the best aspect and hits more than it misses. None of that matters though with actors like these and the parade of stunning vintage costumes and props by set and costumes designer Mike Lees. There’s a mind boggling array of costume changes and some beautiful set pieces. It’s a joy to watch and an interesting story to witness unfold.

    The White Bear is a comfortable theatre space within a rather stylish and recently renovated pub and is only a short tube ride from Leicester Square. Head down to Kennington for a slice of gay history that has particular relevance today. Oh, those costumes too. You’ll be hard pressed not to want to sneak backstage and grab a few pairs of slacks and a jacket to take home.

    The Tailor-Made Man plays at the White Bear Theatre until 25th November 2017