THEGAYUK

Author: Greg Mitchell

  • 5 tips that will make you want to try Tantric massage tonight

    5 tips that will make you want to try Tantric massage tonight

    If you’ve ever wanted to try something different in the bedroom, maybe it’s time to try tantric. Greg Mitchell explains

    (C) BIGSTOCK

    It seems to me that these days we do everything in a rush, and that includes sex. It’s on tap. Just open up that little app on your phone, and you can be f**king in minutes. Quick and easy. You can even organise a quickie for your lunch hour, and be back in your office with nobody any the wiser about what kind of sausage sandwich you had for your lunch.

    Well tantra is something different. Even if you are in a relationship, when was the last time you and your partner actually took time to make love, made an evening of it, an evening of exploring each other’s bodies? So, for Valentine ’s Day, why not try something different? Instead of going for a romantic, and usually rather expensive, dinner out somewhere, followed by a tipsy quickie when you get home before going to sleep, why not have a quick light meal, and spend the rest of the evening exploring and enjoying each other’s bodies?

    Here are a few tips on tantric massage to help get you started.

    You can make an evening of it, take turns to massage each other. You can make it a prelude to sex or you can spend an entire evening massaging each other. Either way, you will achieve greater intimacy than you normally do. Admittedly it requires a little preparation, but I guarantee you it will be worth it.

    Prepping. 

    Now most of us don’t have a massage table, but I would suggest taking things off the bed, and even out of the bedroom if you can. Why not spread some cushions on the floor and cover them with a duvet, a large sheet and some towels. As you’re going to be doing some massage, then the floor will also offer a firmer surface. If you have a futon, then that would be even better.

    Atmosphere is very important.

    Joshua McKnight at Pexels

    Candlelight is an absolute must, scented candles are even better, as are incense sticks (I particularly like Nitraj Original natural Masala incense available from Buddha on a Bicycle in Covent Garden). Music is also very important. There are plenty of massage, new age and tantra albums out there, but I’ve put together my own playlist, which is a mixture of all sorts; selections from chill out albums like Buddha Bar and Café del Mar, classical pieces, and bits and pieces I’ve downloaded from various tantra albums. I put it on shuffle, so I never know quite what is coming next, but the music often dictates the speed of my massage strokes, and even the pressure. My playlist is on spotify and if you are a member, you too can subscribe to my list.

    Start off with loose clothing.

    So we have now set up the room, we have created a warm, welcoming atmosphere, and it’s time to create the intimacy and the bond that will carry us through the next few hours. It’s best if you start in loose, easy to remove clothing. Stand facing your partner, take each other’s hands and close your eyes. Let the music wash over you and slow your breathing down, taking deep breaths deep down into your diaphragm. Then, eyes still closed start to explore each other’s bodies through your clothes. You will be amazed how sensuous this can feel. Don’t be afraid to touch each other’s intimate parts, but don’t concentrate on them either. Really feel all over each other’s bodies, and finish this section by holding each other closely for a few minutes, enjoying the intimacy and feeling of just being held. Then you can start to undress each other. Again, take your time. This can be unbelievably erotic. Caress each other’s bodies as you take off each item of clothing. Make love to each other’s bodies. Once naked, hold each other again, before lying down and starting on the massage proper.

    One thing tantric massage emphatically is not is a rub down followed by a hand job. In fact Joseph Kramer, tantric massage guru, once stated, “The difference between Tao Erotic Massage and a hand job is the difference between banging on a piano and playing Mozart.” Now you are ready to start playing Mozart.

    Choice of massage oils is personal.

    Good ones are almond oil and coconut oil, but you could equally use baby oil. It can bea good idea to warm it on a radiator before using it, and then pour it into your hands first before rubbing it into your partner’s body. I usually start with my client face down and start on the back, sweeping my hands down to the buttocks. Play with your partner’s body. Remember what feels good for you will no doubt feel good for him too. Try it now. Gently caress one of your arms with your free hand. Doesn’t it feel good? You have magic in your hands. Use it.

    Don’t be in too much of a hurry to get to the naughty bits.

    (C) BIGSTOCK

    Take your time to get to know each other’s bodies. This is where you get to find those erogenous zones you didn’t know you had before. Also remember that, once you do get to massage the more intimate areas, whether it be the prostate or the genitals, your aim is to make your partner feel good and prolong orgasm, not just to bring him off. Use lots of lube if massaging the prostate, and plenty of oil on the genitals. Don’t just jerk him off. Play with his cock, caress it, massage it. You’ll be surprised at his reactions. Ejaculation may or may not happen. It is not the be all and end all of a massage. In fact, it is possible to achieve a full body orgasm without actually ejaculating.

    This is just a tiny snapshot of how you can incorporate something more sensual into your lovemaking, but if any of this has excited your curiosity, then take a look at

     

    http://www.sensualself.co.uk

    http://www.sensualmassagemovies.com

    http://www.tantra4gaymen.co.uk

    http://www.meetup.com/BIG-LINGAM-TANTRA-LONDON

    This article was first published in Feb 2013.

  • Six reasons guys may engage in the services of a sex worker

    Six reasons guys may engage in the services of a sex worker

    Writing in 2013, writer Greg Mitchell outlined six reasons why men might call upon the services of an escort and asked if Prostitution was the last taboo.

    FILE PHOTO

    One will typically find, when talking about sex, that a gay man will say something along the lines of, “I’d never use an escort. I don’t have to.” The inference being, that they are too sexy, good-looking young or whatever for them to even consider the services of a sex worker. Well, let me tell you, there are many reasons a guy might choose to see an escort, and usually, it has very little to do with the way they look. Most are just average guys, the kind of guy you might have winked at in a bar, and some of the ones I’ve seen have been downright gorgeous. Admittedly, there are a few who look better with the lights out, but for the most part, they are just ordinary guys.

    Six reasons

    1. He’s in a long-term relationship. He still loves his partner, but his partner doesn’t enjoy the same sort of sex he does. Seeing an escort is far safer than picking someone up on the internet or in a bar. His partner is far less likely to find out about it, and the escort is far less likely to turn into a bunny boiler.

    2. Maybe he’s disabled in some way. We do tend to forget the physical needs of the disabled, as if a disability should condemn someone to a life time of celibacy. One of my clients, a sweet and gentle man, had lost both his legs in an accident. Sex wasn’t easy for him, but it was possible and he still had needs. Much better to use the service of a professional.

    3. This is one of the most surprising, but it happens. A young guy, who wants someone with a bit of experience to each them a few things. I wrote an article about one such experience for my blog. Take a look

    4. The businessman in town for a couple of nights. He has a limited amount of time and doesn’t want to waste it hanging around in bars or trying to find someone on Grindr or Scruff (you know how time-consuming that can be). The answer, call an escort. Even better, make the booking before you arrive in town. You may be surprised to hear that many book in advance.

    5. Those who want to have sex with that particular escort; probably because they’ve seen him in a movie (escorting and porn often go together).

    6. Someone who wants to explore and indulge a particular fetish. Believe it or not, it can be safer to explore this with an escort, someone who has a website and umpteen ads on various sites, than someone who is a complete unknown.

    Do we really wish to criminalise these men? Absolutely not, nor should the State be interfering in what is, after all, a transaction between two consenting adults. It’s my contention that the problems of trafficking, drugs and coercion could be more easily be dealt with by decriminalising and regulating the industry, rather than creating more bands of legislation and driving the industry further underground. It’s called the oldest profession in the world for a reason, and it’s time that our attitudes to both sex and the sex industry became more grown up.

    Read the original article here

  • OPINION | Is NHS England’s decision to fight PrEP provision homophobic?

    Is latent homophobia behind NHS England’s decision to fight the recent High Court judgement on the provision of PrEP?

    I’ve been quiet about PrEP for a while now, but earlier this year, at the National HIV Nurses Association conference in Manchester, I spoke passionately in favour of its implementation for those most at risk of HIV, angry at the way the NHS was attempting to wriggle out of commissioning PrEP by claiming it was the responsibility of local councils, none of which were likely to be able to afford it.

    Furthermore the NHS refused to offer any support to those of us on the PROUD study who would no longer have access to PrEP. Well things have moved on a bit since then. In August, in a huge victory for the National Aids Trust, who brought the case, the High Court ruled that the NHS does have a responsibility for commissioning PrEP. In his summing up, Mr Justice Green stated that,

    “No one doubts that preventative medicine makes powerful sense. But one governmental body says it has no power to provide the service and local authorities say they have no money.

    “The claimant is caught between the two and the potential victims of this disagreement are those who will contract HIV/Aids but who would not were the preventative policy to be fully implemented.

    “In my judgment the answer to this conundrum is that NHS England has erred in deciding that it has no power to commission the preventative drugs in issue.”

    Unfortunately, NHS England responded that they would appeal the decision with a cynically worded statement to the effect that PrEP was, “to prevent HIV transmission particularly for men who have high risk condom-less sex with male partners”.

    The NHS also stated that they would not now be able to confirm funding for treatments and services in levels three and four, which  just happen to include treatments for children who are deaf and have cystic fibrosis. Not surprisingly the statement resulted in some of the most vituperatively questionable headlines in recent years from, predictably, the Daily Mail, but also in The Times.

    Not only was NHS England giving out inaccurate information, but it was failing in patient responsibility by pitting one patient group against another, and one has to ask what was the motive behind issuing such a sensationalist statement.

    I am beginning to think someone at NHS England has a personal axe to grind. In the event, Ian Green, Chief Executive of the Terrence Higgins Trust, wrote a strongly worded letter to NHS England’s Chief Executive, Simon Stevens, expressing extreme “concern” with the wording of the NHS press statement.

    He concluded that,

    “PrEP is not a moral issue. PrEP is a treatment which can stop a population with ongoing major health inequalities from contracting a life threatening disease with lifetime treatment costs of up to £380,000. That is all and it should be treated as such.”

    As it happens, NHS England have now issued a statement to the effect that they have launched a consultation into the future of HIV-preventing PrEP, though the statement document notes that the consultation is being run without prejudice to the outcome of their appeal following a judicial review, and that their contention is still that it is not responsible for commissioning PrEP.

    In the meantime, NHS England’s latest proposal that it will routinely commission PrEP for the treatment of adults at high risk of HIV acquisition is good news indeed.

    Those considered at high risk and covered by the policy are high risk men who have sex with men, or MSM (a phrase I dislike intensely, though it seems we are stuck with it for the moment), trans women and trans men who have had anal sex without a condom in the last three months and are likely to again in the next three months; also partners of people living with HIV where they are not known to be on successful HIV treatment, and heterosexuals assessed to be at similar high risk to MSM.

    Those of us already on the PROUD study also received some good news when Gilead, the company which produces Truvada, agreed to provide the drug free of charge for existing PROUD participants for the next six months.

    I know I’ve banged on about it before, but I am convinced that the reason we are still having to fight for the implementation of PrEP, why we are even having this discussion at all, comes down to latent homophobia and a distaste for what we do in bed, and that moral judgements are getting in the way of facts.

    We already know that getting people with HIV onto treatment as soon as possible means that they can’t pass on the virus. Coupled with making those most at risk immune, we have a real chance here of bringing down HIV infection rates considerably. In San Francisco, a two-pronged strategy, using TasP (treatment as prevention) and increasing access to PrEP resulted in a staggering 34% reduction in new infections between 2012 and 2014, a figure that is likely to increase as the new treatments take effect.

    Yes, PrEP is expensive, though the price will come down considerably once Truvada comes out of patent in 2017, but, it is far more expensive to treat someone with HIV for the rest of their lives.

    And we’re not even taking into consideration the hidden costs of dealing with mental health issues that invariably follow a positive diagnosis. Now as it happens, my situation has changed over the last year or so. Whereas, when I started on PrEP, I was having lots of sex with multiple partners, I am now in a monogamous relationship and don’t need to be on it anymore.

    And here’s the point.

    HIV is something that will be with you for the rest of your life. PrEP is something you might need at certain points in your life. What’s more, the Ipergay study in France came up with a different model from the daily regimen. They found that if you took 2 pills prior to having sex, and then one more for two days afterwards, you would still be protected, which is something that would work for people who have organised sex lives.

    On the other hand PEP (post exposure prophylaxis), as I hope everyone knows, has been available for some time now. I was on it twice before going onto PrEP.  I know of people who are accessing PEP three or four times a year, which is already costing the NHS more than putting these people onto PrEP; and I’m now hearing about guys presenting themselves for PEP several times a year in an attempt to stock pile Truvada to use as PrEP. This too is far more costly than putting them on PrEP.

    It is my fervent hope that NHS England will lose their appeal and we can finally begin to bring down the escalating increase in new HIV infections in this country.

    Follow Greg Mitchell on Twitter

     

    Opinions expressed in this article may not reflect those of THEGAYUK, its management or editorial teams. If you’d like to comment or write a comment, opinion or blog piece, please click here.

  • COLUMN | Don’t Let The Bastards Get You Down

    Brace yourself everyone. If you think we’ve had to put up with quite a lot of abuse over the last few months, then it’s no doubt going to get worse over the next week.

    (more…)

  • FILM REVIEW | Under Milk Wood, earthily sexy

    Under Milk Wood | ★★★★

    I studied Dylan Thomas’s “Under Milk Wood” for my English A Level, rather more years ago now than I choose to mention and it came as quite a surprise to me to realise that I still remembered, almost word for word the narrator’s first long speech, beautifully spoken here by Rhys Ifans.

    “Under Milk Wood” is really an extended dramatic poem for voices. It was first conceived as a radio play, commissioned by the BBC in 1954, with Richard Burton voicing the narrator. Later it was turned into a stage play, and there is at least one previous film (1972) with Burton reprising his narrator role, and with such luminaries as Elizabeth Taylor, Peter O’Toole and Glynis Johns amongst the cast.

    Whilst remaining absolutely true to Thomas’s original text, the screenplay of this new film, brings out more than any I’ve seen or heard, the sheer earthy, lascivious and hilariously funny filthiness of Thomas’s dreamscape, a true celebration of the joys of sex. Only most of the sex in this story takes place in people’s minds, their fantasies and desires brought out in full, luscious technicolour glory. The film looks superb, for which director of photography Andy Hollis deserves enormous credit.

    Director Kevin Allen has at his disposal an excellent cast of Welsh actors, many of them faces well-known from TV, all perfect for their roles. Rhys Ifans, who also doubles as Captain Cat, is quite as effective as Richard Burton in his long opening speech, his accent, though perfectly intelligible, just that bit more Welsh, where Burton, targeting a 1950s audience, slightly Anglicised his tones.

    Charlotte Church, making a very successful screen debut, is cast as Polly Garter. She has a plump, rounded, wholesome sexiness that is absolutely perfect for the fertile baby machine, that the rest of the village like to gossip about.

    Ultimately, though, the film is also about loss; loss of community, loss of a way of life. Captain Cat is old and dying and his demise is symbolic of the death of the village Llareggub (Bugger All spelt backwards). There hangs over the film a purveying sense of nostalgia for a time that never waa. Gritty realism is swept away with a click of the camera, and for 85 minutes we can escape into a world of dreams and fantasy. I enjoyed it immensely.

  • REAL LIFE: Shooting My First Gay Porn

    I felt something brush against my legs. I glanced down. Sh*t! You’re not supposed to look, I reminded myself. Clearly, this was more difficult than I expected. There was quite a lot to think about.

    What's it like to film a porn

    What had brushed against me was a cameraman pushing his camera between my legs and I was filming a porn movie. How did I get here? Well, it all started with an email from Mike*, the managing director of Pantheon Productions, a porn company based in San Francisco.

    Hi Greg,
    We were wondering if you would like to be a model for one of our movies. We don’t usually fly people over from Europe, but in your case we’d be willing to make an exception. Please get back to us if you’d be interested.

    Apparently one of my clients had written to them, saying they should check me out. I didn’t know whether to be flattered or insulted, but I opted for the former.

    I can safely say that up until then I’d never really considered doing porn. Back in the first few years of this century, it was much more taboo than it is now when seemingly every top, dick and bumhole is clamouring to get in on the act. True, I was an escort, which was already pretty taboo, but it was possible to keep that secret. Once you did porn it was out there for all to see. Nowhere to hide. Some of my friends were dead against it. I wasn’t even sure myself, but Mike was persistent, both via email and phone calls, and eventually wore me down with his reassurances and offering me three scenes (which in effect tripled my fee) as well as my flights and accommodation. Admittedly, the money wasn’t that great, but it was a darn sight more than what porn companies pay these days. Also, I’d never been to San Francisco. It seemed too good a chance to miss. Still, I had no idea if I’d be able to do it, so it was with some trepidation that I boarded my plane to San Francisco a few weeks later.

    The morning after my arrival, I went down to the lobby from my hotel room to find Mike, a handsome young guy (much younger than I expected) waiting in the lobby. He had suggested that he ease me in with a solo scene. That meant there would be no crew. Just him and me and a camera. It wouldn’t be much different from any of the stills shoots I’d done; only this time he’d be using a video camera. Solo shoots are different. You are allowed to look at the camera, make the person watching feel that you are getting off just for them. Mike had, shall we say, a hands-on approach to his work, which was very helpful, and at one point I suggested that he also remove his clothes as I would find that quite horny. He obligingly did as I asked. It didn’t take too long and that first scene was wrapped in a couple of hours, after which Mike dropped me back at my hotel. The next day was to be my first real time having sex on camera.

    It was a beautiful, warm, sunny day I remember. I was collected by another employee of the company who drove me to the studio. When I got there, there were half a dozen guys, preparing the set and rigging up cameras and lighting. My co-star, Josh Edwards was there too. I’d seen pics of him of course, but he was more attractive in real life and I liked his tattoos and, especially, his pierced dick. (This was before I had my own Prince Albert.) One of the crew gave me a cup of coffee and Josh and I went out onto the fire escape to get better acquainted. So far it was just like any other film set I’d been on. Josh and I chatted away until I was pulled away from Josh to go and film a short interview that was to be included as an extra at the end of the DVD (well these Americans are a sucker for an English accent, after all). After that filming was to start in earnest.

    This scene was to be part of the studio’s Daddy Hunt series. The set-up was for me, the rich older daddy, to be driving round San Francisco in my 4×4 and pick up young Josh as he was walking around. My nerves got the better of me at the beginning resulting in me almost crashing the car when I went round a corner and ended up on the wrong side of the road (well I had just arrived from the UK). Miraculously we got back to the studio unscathed and now it was time for action.

    We were filming in the company’s studio, which was made to look like my expensive pad. Mike took a few stills of us both before we started to film the scene. Basically, we were asked to make out, remove each other’s clothes and get down to business. The cameras would follow us. The main direction was to avoid looking directly at the camera, not, as I’ve already indicated, as easy as it might seem, especially when you have a cameraman between your legs while you’re f**king your partner, another one standing astride him and pointing the camera directly on your face; or when the camera pushes in between you to get the best shot possible of your c**k penetrating his butt. That’s when you have to lean back a bit to give him better access. I admit that I was actually getting off on it all. Well, why would you do it if you didn’t? Even so, focus could be a problem. Once things really heated up, our director preferred to just go with the flow and keep the cameras rolling, rather than stop and start too many times. (I’ve worked with directors who do that, and, believe me, it’s a nightmare. All a bit too much up and down, if you get my drift.) But there were other directions too, like being asked to move a leg slightly to one side so that it didn’t block the camera, or change your arm position. Considering a lapse in focus and concentration can result in a loss of momentum, for which read blood flow, then it’s a lot more difficult than you might expect.

    We stopped for a break before going for the climax, which had to be filmed in two stages (mine and his), and then that was a wrap. We had several hours of film that would eventually be edited down to about 20 minutes, and that was my first proper porn movie. What struck me more than anything was the extreme professionalism of all on the set. There had in fact been no difference between filming this and any other film. Everything had been thought out in advance. They even had a storyboard. I’d love to be able to tell you how horny it is, how the crew get involved, how people stand around with their cocks out, getting turned on and carried away with the action, but it simply isn’t true. Just as on any other film, the crew are concentrating on sound and lighting and getting the best shot.

    Filming over, I was returned to my hotel. I had a couple of days off before my next scene, which would be a leather scene with Marco Van for their Real Men series. This was filmed at a different location, a flat, which had a four-poster bed which they had rented for the session. There was no pre-scene set up. This was just two leather guys getting it on. Other than that, things went much as before.

    All told my first experience of doing porn was a very positive one. Everything had been done to make it as easy as possible for me. The people I worked with were all great, all very relaxed and all very professional. I did a few more movies after that, most of them over here, but nothing was as good as that first experience, except perhaps when I returned to the US to do a stills shoot with Tom Bianchi and another shoot with the guys at Pantheon, which also turned out to be my last. I enjoyed working with them so much that I decided to end on a high. That and the fact that fees for doing porn were dropping dramatically. It just didn’t seem worth it anymore somehow, but I’m certainly glad I did it. One more thing to add to the bucket list.

    * Name changed

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Rise Like A Phoenix

    ★★ | Rise Like A Phoenix

    Things have changed a great deal since the days of Larry Kramer’s The Normal Heart, Kevin Elyot’s My Night with Reg and Tony Kushner’s brilliant Angels in America. HIV is something we can talk about more openly, people don’t die anymore, and, with treatment, can live a pretty normal life, though there is still a lot of stigma attached to it.

    Paul Emelion Daly’s new play, Rise Like a Phoenix, is billed as a comedy, but, apart from some admittedly hilarious one-liners, it actually takes itself rather seriously, maybe too seriously. As an HIV negative man, maybe I found it hard to identify with the five gay men, all of them HIV-positive, in Daly’s play, but I’m pretty sure that the majority of my HIV positive friends would have a problem too. Too many of the characters were fixated on the blame game, how they acquired the virus, who gave them the virus, and indeed, not giving too much away, much of the story revolved around a love triangle, in which one of the characters had unknowingly given it to one of the men, who then unknowingly gave it to another.

    I was hoping that a new play about HIV would take a more positive stance, but it seemed to me, that, for all the talk of the success of antiretroviral therapy, emotionally the play was still stuck in the 90s, with its reminders of those tombstone adverts. But the whole landscape has changed since then and we live in a far more positive world (in both senses of the word) than we did? Why was there no talk of TasP (Treatment as Prevention), of PEP or PrEP, the once a day pill that stops you getting HIV?

    I’m afraid I found it all rather dispiriting and negative.

    Performances were good, but Tim McArthur’s usually faultless sense of pace seemed to have deserted him this time round and the play dragged for too much of the time.

  • Mr Leather UK Is Back And Looking For A Winner

    CALLING ALL UK LEATHER MEN WHO WILL STEP UP TO BE MR LEATHER UK 2015?

    MSC London is seeking keen leather men, from around the UK to take part in this year’s Mr Leather UK. If you like being the centre of attention and want to be a key ambassador for the UK Leather Community it’s time to enter and get involved with your community. Each entrant will receive a free leather jock, membership of MSC London/ECMC, over £500 worth of leather gear, photo shoot and access to a travel fund.

    Mr Leather UK will be hosted at London’s premier fetish gear shop Expectations on Friday, 20th March 2015 from 7:30 until 11 pm with the competition taking place at 9 pm. The MC for the evening will be Leather Daddy, LGBT activist and finalist in the 2015 Hookies as best International Masseur, Greg Mitchell. DJ, Brent Nicholls will be spinning the hottest tunes, free bar served by hunks in jocks n boots and lots of special surprises and a whopping 15% off if you choose to buy any gear on the night.

    Entrants must be 21 or over on the date of the competition and a keen leatherman, the completion will be in two rounds the first round will be an opportunity to show off your best leather gear, followed my jock and pec’s round, each competitor will have an opportunity to talk about why they should be awarded the title of Mr Leather UK 2015.

    The judging panel will consist of the following men from the leather fetish world:

    1. Mr Chris Dixon – Manger of Expectations
    2. Arnold – Mr European Leather 2014
    3. Mr Paul Turner – President, MSC London

    The leatherman selected as Mr Leather UK has no required duties. He is a free agent to do with his title as he chooses. The winner is in a position where he can use his title productively and as one of the community’s perceived spokespersons; he may pursue his predecessors in achieving a goal. The 2014 Mr Leather UK, Avi Angel went on to take part in International Mr Leather, reaching the top 12 in the leather men in the world. He also joined the family of European Title Holders at Europe’s biggest Leather event, Folsom Europe in Berlin, as well as leading hundreds of leather men carrying a 33ft leather flag in London Pride Parade. Invites for the new Mr Leather UK to attend European events are already flooding in so 2015 could be a busy year for them meeting thousands of leather men!

    If you are interested in taking part in the Mr Leather UK 2014 competition you can download an entry form from www.msclondon.co.uk or email info@msclondon.co.uk – each entrant will receive a complimentary leather jock from Expectations and the chance to represent the leather community.

  • TRAVEL GUIDE | Malmo, Somewhere different, somewhere fresh

    Malmo is the third largest city in Sweden, but, if you’ve heard of it at all, it’s most likely to be because of Eurovision or because of the popular Danish/Swedish crime drama “The Bridge”, the first series of which concerned the discovery of a body on the Oresund Bridge that joins Copenhagen to Malmo.

    Well, there is a lot more to Malmo, and the surrounding county Skane, than that, as I was to discover on a long weekend in mid-June, just before midsummer, when the sun barely sets.

    On the Friday morning, we flew into Copenhagen, from where it is normally a short train journey across the bridge to Malmo.

    Unfortunately there was a strike at the Swedish end that week, so we had to use a replacement bus service. No matter, with typical Scandinavian efficiency, buses proved to be frequent and luxurious. I doubt we’d have got into Malmo very much quicker if the trains had been running.

    Malmo itself is a pretty flat city, but towering over all is the distinctive shape of their new landmark Twisting Torso, a high rise building consisting of nine cubes twisting towards the waterfront. Completed in 2005, it was designed by Santiago Calatrava and is the second tallest residential tower in Europe.

    Once at central station, we stopped for lunch at the newly opened Bistro Royal, once the royal waiting rooms for the station, and only recently opened to the public. The warm sunshine was beckoning so we took a table outside, but you really must go inside and see the elaborate décor, still in pristine condition and just as it was when designed for the use of royalty.

    We then went to check in at the Hotel Master Johan, arguably the most elegant hotel in Malmo, and situated just a few yards from nightlife hub Lila Torg. Rooms are spacious and luxurious and, for all that you are right in the centre, wonderfully well sound proofed. The rooms are arranged round a central courtyard, which is now covered by a glass atrium, and where you can enjoy coffee or a drink and an excellent breakfast in the morning.

    The afternoon was spent on a brief shopping tour of the city. Malmo abounds in stylish clothing shops, knickknack stores and locally made furniture. Also an old style gentleman’s barbershop called Roy and Son. Malmo centre is not especially large so it is easy to cram in quite a lot in a short space of time. That said, by 4pm I was longing for a sit down, and was pleased when our travels led us to Sockerbit in Holmgangen, where we stopped off for a coffee and, in my case, a delicious Swedish bun. The Swedes call the act of having coffee and cake “fika”, though it’s more about socialising than drinking coffee, and a tradition I wholeheartedly approve of.

    Dinner that night was at the popular restaurant Bastard, which specialises in modern classic European cuisine using the best produce they can get, often organic and from local small-scale suppliers. Head chef Andreas Dahlberg believes in the ethos simple and seasonal, using regional produce whenever possible and offcuts of meat to keep creativity up and prices down. Beverages are chosen with a similar passion, and they have a large selection of natural wines and beers from small producers and breweries. It being summer, seating was in the outside courtyard, but, be aware, even in summer, the evenings can get quite cool. Blankets were on hand, but not plentiful enough. It might be wise to take a sweater or warm jacket.

    We were treated to a taster menu, which gave us a good idea of the range of food on offer, all of it delicious, particularly the famous Bastardplanka, or platter of cold meats, which comprised our starter.

    Having had a very early start, it was a pleasure to return to the comfort of the Johan Master Hotel, and drift off into sleep.

    Next morning after breakfast we were met by a tall Norse Goddess going by the name of Catarina Rolfsdotter- Jansson, a journalist, moderator and innovator, who was to take us on a sustainability tour to the Western Harbour. Like most cities in northern Europe, Malmo is extremely cycle friendly, so this was to be our mode of transport. Indeed it is one of the best ways to get around the city and cycle hire stations are plentiful, with most hotels also having bikes for hire.

    We cycled through some lovely parkland before finally making it to the Western Harbour, where we chained the bikes so we could walk around and see the true wonders of how sustainability can work. Though small in size, Western Harbour could act as a blueprint for how we progress in the future, and attracts visitors from all over the world, including China, where pollution is a massive problem. Certainly Western Harbour is close to some kind of Utopian ideal of the future, a world which is completely self-sustaining. Built on the old Kockums shipyard, a contaminated and run-down area, Malmo, with the help of internationally renowned property developers and architects has turned the area into a paragon of sustainable living and working. Quality of life is expressed here in the daring architecture of its residential and business and civic properties, and in the attractively laid out canals, ponds and watercourse, as well as green spaces, some actually on top of the buildings. Taking full advantage of its location by the water, the beachfront here is packed with restaurants, bars, cafés and nightclubs, and is bursting with life, especially in the summer months. What a pleasure it must be to live in this beautiful area. It is also the home of the fantastic Twisting Torso tower, which is every bit as impressive close to as it was from a distance.

    Catarina left us at lunchtime where we retired to Salt & Brygga, a completely organic and sustainable restaurant and the first of its kind in Scandinavia. Restaurateur Bjorn Steinbeck’s philosophy is, “Swedish food inspired above all by the Mediterranean, but also by other food cultures. The region’s best ingredients. Friendly atmosphere, exquisite wine and great beer. A broad way of thinking that arises directly from nature and the environment – for body and soul.”

    So after body and soul were satisfied, we walked on to the famous old bathhouse at Ribersborg, a beloved tradition amongst locals. Bathing costumes are forbidden, though you are given a towel and a square of cotton to sit on.

    The changing areas are divided into women’s and men’s but there is one sauna in the middle that is mixed, and which seemed to be the busiest, though I was happier in the all-male saunas, all of which have a huge window with a view of the sea. After heating up n the sauna, the idea is that you then take a plunge in the sea, pretty cold you might think, but actually thoroughly invigorating, and then what pleasure to lie out naked on the wooden slatted walkways, drying out in the sun. Northern Europeans are completely unselfconscious about their bodies; nobody indulging in a ridiculous towel dance in an attempt to hide their naughty bits, they just let it all hang out. In fact you’d be a lot more conspicuous if you did try to cover up. For me it was the perfect afternoon, thoroughly and enjoyably relaxing, but then I am something of a nudist. Hanging out naked is completely natural to me.

    Having spent several hours at the bathhouse, and as the sun was beginning to lose its heat, I cycled back to the hotel. After a quick beer with one of my colleagues in Lila Torg, which was already buzzing with life, I went back to my room to change for the evening.

    Dinner was at Beebar, which endearingly bills itself as a straight friendly restaurant. Certainly very busy, with an extremely friendly atmosphere. On their website, they say, “With us is diversity important. All humans are equal whether you are yellow, black, white, red, blue, green, like girls, guys, – or plastic dolls! As long as we can hang out under the same conditions and have fun together. We are clear about not accepting the prejudices, racism and injustice. You can even call it respect,” a statement that seemed to ring true wherever we went actually.

    Food was excellent and we were fortunate enough to be there on an evening when Nick Ofverman, a wine importer from Goteborg, was promoting some of the rose wine he was importing from France, so we were plied with copious amounts before rolling out at about 10pm. It was so light outside that it felt as if it was only around 7. No doubt because they have so little daylight during the cold winter months, the streets were packed with people enjoying the summer evening. We made our way to the nightclub Babel, a fantastic converted church, where a rock concert was taking place. This not being much to our taste we walked to the Moriska Paviljongen Park, where a completely free Festival of Feminism was coming to a close. The park was packed with revellers, drinking and enjoying the cool summer evening. Apparently the park is host to some sort of free festival most weekends during the summer.

    Finally we made our way to Wonk, Malmo’s only gay club, which is on every Saturday night from 11.30 to 5am. It’s a luxurious venue with drinks prices to match and staffed with gorgeous topless barmen, and, like any provincial gay club anywhere in the world, a few too many hen parties for my liking. Quite often straight women outnumber gay men two to one, and here it was no different. Thoroughly exhausted, and remembering that we had an early start the next morning, I made my way back to the hotel and crawled back into bed around 3am.

    Next morning rather later than planned, and with one or two of our party looking a little the worse for wear, we left Malmo by car for a tour of the Hällåkra Vingård, where we were to have a light lunch and get to taste some of the local wine. Yes, Sweden produces wine and surprisingly good it is too. It may not taste like French wine, but as owner Hakan Hansson explained to us, he is not trying to reproduce French wine, just good wine, which seems to me to be an excellent philosophy. All the wine is organic, as was the delicious lunch provided by Mrs. Hansson, with locally produced cold meats and cheeses.

    Feeling well fed and ever so slightly tipsy, apart from our driver of course, we piled into the car for the drive south to Angavallen, an organic farm, which also serves as a hotel, restaurant and conference centre. Set in the heart of the beautiful Skane countryside, this is certainly a place to get away from it all. After checking into our luxury rooms, the owner and proprietor Rolf Axel Nordstrom came to show us around the farm. A gently spoken man, Nordstrom is a passionate believer in the benefits of organic and compassionate farming. Given the necessity of breeding animals to provide food, he strives to give them the best life possible when alive and even to give them a pain and stress-free death. No animal ever sees another one die; no animal ever smells the blood of another animal that has been killed. His approach is akin to the caring way in which we kill our pets, when they have come to the end of their lives. This caring approach even means that the meat will taste better, as animals release a hormone into their bodies when they are panicked, which affects its flavour.

    After being shown around the farm, we were taken to the kitchen to engage in a spot of sausage making, our efforts accompanied by the imbibing of several glasses of organic beer. I’m not sure if it made the sausages taste any better. It certainly meant the sausage-making went with a swing.

    An early dinner of home produced meats and cheeses was absolutely delicious before we all retired to the peace of our rooms for a much needed early night.

    Angavallen, which is set in stunningly beautiful countryside, is the perfect place to retreat for a few days. It also serves well for wedding receptions and team building conferences.

    The next morning, after a scrumptious breakfast, made up for the most part of home-produced organic fare, we were on our way, for the final leg of our trip, to the coast down at Falsterbonasett, and for a morning’s sailing with Peter Malmquist.

    This part of Sweden was once part of Denmark and many of the natives take pride in their Danish heritage. It is a great place for long walks, for stunningly beautiful white sand beaches, including, naturally, a nudist beach. Also a place to go horse riding and discover Viking trails; in all a good place for an action holiday, somewhere to enjoy sailing, swimming, hiking and riding. During our invigorating sailing trip Peter Malmquist, and Petra Strandberg of the Skane Tourist Board told us tales of the area’s Danish ancestry.

    After docking we went to the Skanors Fiskrogeri, a famous fish restaurant which opened 14 years ago. All the food was beyond delicious and I had the best sole I’d ever tasted.

    Lunch over, it was time to make our way back to Malmo and thence to Copenhagen for our flight home.

    If you are looking specifically for a gay holiday then Malmo and Skane are probably not the place for you. If, however, you feel like going somewhere different, getting some fresh air and enjoying the hospitality of a people who don’t care whether you are gay or straight, then it is certainly worth a look. You can find plenty to do over a long weekend, or maybe even a week and I would definitely recommend hiring a car and exploring the beautiful country in Skane as well.

    I’d relish the idea of being able to spin it out a little longer and take time over its many attractions.
    Back to part one

    Reviewed by Greg Mitchell

    For more details on travelling to Sweden visit: http://www.visitsweden.com

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Bathhouse, The Musical

    ★★★★ | Bathhouse, The Musical

    For their second production of 2015, Above The Stag have chosen to revive their hugely successful production of Bathhouse The Musical.

    It comes with a few changes of cast and new choreography by Carole Todd, a choreographer of some renown, who comes with an impressive list of credits which includes West End musicals as well as work at the Royal Opera House and Sadlers Wells.

    What was always a hugely entertaining and hilarious show now emerges slicker, tighter and cleaner.

    In case you missed it last time, the show is set for its entirety in a Bathhouse, with the cast wearing nothing but towels throughout. The story (such as it is) revolves around the adventures of young Billy, who starts out a bathhouse virgin, but finishes a lot more experienced. He is guided through his adventures by the disembodied voice of Giles Brandreth.

    The score is a wonderfully witty amalgam of styles ranging from hoedown to full out Broadway ballads with quite a few other musical references between. With song titles like I’m a Bear Chaser, the hilarious Penises Are Like Snowflakes, Clickin’ for Dick and Seduction Tango, the jokes aren’t exactly subtle, but nor are they meant to be.

    In a show that is such an ensemble piece, it would be invidious to single out any one individual. Each and every one gets their moment to shine and they are all excellent, so kudos to Will Ferris, Matthew Harper, John R Harrison, Ryan Lynch, Luke Webber and Tim McArthur, who also directs the fast-paced production, which doesn’t flag for one second.

    Great entertainment, not so pure and simple.

    Bathhouse the Musical runs at Above the Stag until 29 march 2015.

  • THEATRE REVIEW | The Boys Upstairs

    ★★★★ | The Boys Upstairs

    For their first play of 2015, Above the Stag have turned to another American comedy, The Boys Upstairs. Dubbed a cross between Sex and the City and The Boys in the Band, Jason Mitchell’s play first premiered in the 2009 New York Fringe Festival, where it played a completely sold-out run at the Soho Playhouse. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if it achieves a similar feat at Above The Stag in Vauxhall.

    Brilliantly witty and funny, the play details the lives of three young chums, their disastrous love affairs, their arguments, and their quest to find out if the hunky new guy downstairs “is” or “isn’t.”

    Director Andrew Beckett’s pacing never falters in this fast and furious comedy, aided by a cast of talented young actors. Simon Weston maintained from start to finish a brilliantly dry delivery as the geeky, wise-cracking Josh who suffers from OCD, whilst Stanley Eldridge as his former boyfriend and untidy flatmate, was equally funny but also touchingly real as Seth. Joe Leather turned in a hilarious performance as the endlessly promiscuous Ashley, waking up every morning with a different lover, after getting drunk yet again, and Daniel Garcia was perfectly cast as the slightly gauche but stunningly handsome Eric. Last but not least there was the multi-talented Hugh O’Donnell who has a high old time playing all the various boyfriends that come in and out of their lives. Every one of his characterisations was spot on, but his turn as the musical theatre queen (one of Ash’s one-night stands) is an absolutely side-splitting tour de force, which quite rightly brings the house down.

    One should also mention Zoe Hurwitz’s excellent set design, one of the best I’ve seen at Above The Stag.

    If you’re suffering from those post-holiday January/February blues and feel you could do with a lift, you could do much worse than getting yourself down to Above The Stag for this crazy comedy, which is guaranteed to lift your spirits and get you laughing.

    The Boys Upstairs plays at Above The Stag in Vauxhall until February 2015