Author: Tim Baros

GALECA: The Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics name 10th Dorian Award Winners

GALECA: The Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics Name 10th Dorian Award Winners

GALECA: The Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics, comprised of over 200 gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer and ally entertainment journalists in the U.S., Canada, Australia and U.K., has announced its 10th Dorian Award winners across 26 TV and film categories.

The Favourite lived up to its title with GALECA’s Dorian Award voters, who named the cheeky historical romp Film of the Year and bestowed its star, Olivia Colman, with the Film Performance of the Year—Actress tiara for her biting turn as Queen Anne. The sumptuous movie treat also scored Screenplay of the Year honors for Deborah Davis and Tony McNamara.

Alfonso Cuarón, writer and helmer of Roma, the drama of a privileged family and their tragedy-stricken maid in 1970s Mexico City, was chosen Director of the Year, while the film itself was deemed the Foreign Language Film of the Year. Ethan Hawke took Film Performance of the Year—Actor for his work as a priest on the verge of madness in director Paul Schrader’s First Reformed. In supporting film performance categories, the winners were Regina King for If Beale Street Could Talk and Richard E. Grant for Can You Ever Forgive Me? The latter film, the fact-based dark comedy about a struggling New York writer who turns to forgery, was named GALECA’s Dorian Award winner for LGBTQ Film of the Year.

In documentary categories, the biographical tributes Won’t You Be My Neighbor? and McQueen proved triumphant. As for GALECA’s unique category winners: The sci-fi hit Annihilation struck as Visually Striking Film of the Year; the female heist thriller Widows rallied as Unsung Film of the Year; and A Simple Favor, an outrageous mystery starring Blake Lively and Anna Kendrick, nabbed the Society’s affectionate Campy Flick of the Year honor.

Over on the TV side, FX’s Pose and Pop’s Schitt’s Creek both scored big with GALECA members. Pose—a drama set against the lively streets of New York City circa 1979—stood as TV Drama of the Year and LGBTQ Drama of the Year, also also helped its producer, Ryan Murphy, to his second Dorian Award win for Wilde Artist of the Year (Murphy is the first person to win this title twice in GALECA’s 10-year history). Pose’s star, Billy Porter, took two Dorians—one for TV Performance of the Year—Actor and a shared win with his costars MJ Rodriguez and Our Lady J for their moving rendition of “Home” on the series.

Creek meanwhile, took TV Comedy of the Year as well as Unsung TV Comedy. Full Frontal With Samantha Bee impressed as TV Current Affairs Show of the Year for the third year in a row. Campy TV Show champ: RuPaul’s Drag Race.

Awkwafina, the rapper turned breakout star of the hit comedy film Crazy Rich Asians, was crowned GALECA’s “We’re Wilde About You!” Rising Star. Fresh-faced Australian comic Hannah Gadsby, who made a mark with her own well-received Netflix special last year, was named Wilde Wit of the Year.

Harvey Fierstein was the group’s latest choice for Timeless Star, the group’s career achievement award. Previous recipients include Jane Fonda, Dame Angela Lansbury and Sir Ian McKellen.

GALECA, The Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics, previously known as the Gay and Lesbian Entertainment Critics Association, includes members who review, write and/or report on film and television for a diverse number of media outlets, including BuzzFeed, The Daily Beast, Entertainment Weekly, TV Guide, The Advocate, CNN, the Associated Press, People, Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Collider, Vanity Fair, Screen Crush, The Los Angeles Times, The San Francisco Chronicle, New Now Next, The Guardian and the BBC. For more information, visit GALECA.org. Also find us at #DorianAwards, and enjoy our posts via @DorianAwards on Facebook • Twitter • Instagram

GALECA 2018/19 DORIAN AWARDS

WINNERS IN CAPS *

Film of the Year

Can You Ever Forgive Me?
THE FAVOURITE * (FOX SEARCHLIGHT)
If Beale Street Could Talk
Roma
A Star is Born

Director of the Year

(Film or Television)
ALFONSO CUARÓN, ROMA * (NETFLIX)
Marielle Heller, Can You Ever Forgive Me?
Barry Jenkins, If Beale Street Could Talk
Yorgos Lanthimos, The Favourite
Spike Lee, Blackkklansman

Film Performance of the Year — Actress

Yalitza Aparicio, Roma
Toni Collette, Hereditary
OLIVIA COLMAN, THE FAVOURITE * (FOX SEARCHLIGHT)
Lady Gaga, A Star is Born
Melissa McCarthy, Can You Ever Forgive Me?

Film Performance of the Year — Actor

Christian Bale, Vice
Bradley Cooper, A Star is Born
ETHAN HAWKE, FIRST REFORMED * (A24)
Rami Malek, Bohemian Rhapsody
John David Washington, Blackkklansman

Film Performance of the Year — Supporting Actress

Elizabeth Debicki, Widows
REGINA KING, IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK * (ANNAPURNA PICTURES)
Emma Stone, The Favourite
Rachel Weisz, The Favourite
Michelle Yeoh, Crazy Rich Asians

Film Performance of the Year — Supporting Actor

Mahershala Ali, Green Book
Timothée Chalamet, Beautiful Boy
Sam Elliott, A Star is Born
RICHARD E. GRANT, CAN YOU EVER FORGIVE ME? * (FOX SEARCHLIGHT)
Michael B. Jordan, Black Panther

LGBTQ Film of the Year ***

Boy Erased
CAN YOU EVER FORGIVE ME? * (FOX SEARCHLIGHT)
Disobedience
The Favourite
Love, Simon

Foreign Language Film of the Year

Burning
Capernaum
Cold War
ROMA * (NETFLIX)
Shoplifters

Screenplay of the Year

Bo Burnham, Eighth Grade
Alfonso Cuarón, Roma
DEBORAH DAVIS AND TONY MCNAMARA, THE FAVOURITE * (FOX SEARCHLIGHT)
Nicole Holofcener and Jeff Whitty, Can You Ever Forgive Me?
Barry Jenkins, If Beale Street Could Talk

Documentary of the Year

Free Solo
RBG
Shirkers
Three Identical Strangers
WON’T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR? * (FOCUS FEATURES)

LGBTQ Documentary of the Year

The Gospel According to Andre
MCQUEEN * (BLEECKER STREET MEDIA)
Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood
Studio 54
Whitney

Visually Striking Film of the Year

ANNIHILATION * (PARAMOUNT)
Black Panther
The Favourite
If Beale Street Could Talk
Roma

Unsung Film of the Year

Colette
Disobedience
The Happy Prince
Tully
We the Animals
WIDOWS * (20TH CENTURY FOX)

Campy Flick of the Year

Aquaman
Book Club
Mama Mia! Here We Go Again
A SIMPLE FAVOR * (LIONSGATE)
Suspiria

TV Drama of the Year

American Crime Story: The Assassination of Gianni Versace
The Handmaid’s Tale
Homecoming
Killing Eve
POSE * (FX)

TV Comedy of the Year

Barry
GLOW
The Good Place
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
SCHITT’S CREEK * (POP)

TV Performance of the Year — Actor

Darren Criss, American Crime Story: The Assassination of Gianni Versace
Hugh Grant, A Very English Scandal
BILLY PORTER, POSE * (FX)
Matthew Rhys, The Americans
Ben Whishaw, A Very English Scandal

TV Performance of the Year — Actress

Amy Adams, Sharp Objects
Rachel Brosnahan, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
Jodie Comer, Killing Eve
SANDRA OH, KILLING EVE * (BBC AMERICA)
Julia Roberts, Homecoming

LGBTQ TV Show of the Year

A Very English Scandal
American Crime Story: The Assassination of Gianni Versace
Killing Eve
POSE * (FX)
Queer Eye

Unsung TV Show of the Year ***

The Bisexual
Dear White People
The Good Fight
One Day at a Time
SCHITT’S CREEK * (POP)

TV Current Affairs Show of the Year

The Daily Show with Trevor Noah
FULL FRONTAL WITH SAMANTHA BEE * (TBS)
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
The Rachel Maddow Show

TV Musical Performance of the Year

Adam Lambert, “Believe,” 41st Kennedy Center Honors
BILLY PORTER, MJ RODRIGUEZ AND OUR LADY J, “HOME”, POSE * (FX)
Noah Reid, “Simply the Best,” Schitt’s Creek
Keala Settle, “This is Me,” 90th Academy Awards
Sufjan Stevens, “Mystery of Love,” 90th Academy Awards

Campy TV Show of the Year

American Horror Story: Apocalypse
Chilling Adventures of Sabrina
Queer Eye
Riverdale
RUPAUL’S DRAG RACE * (VH1, LOGO)

The “We’re Wilde About You!” Rising Star Award

AWKWAFINA *
Elsie Fisher
Henry Golding
Indya Moore
MJ Rodriguez

Wilde Wit of the Year

(Honoring a performer, writer or commentator whose observations both challenge and amuse)
Samantha Bee
HANNAH GADSBY *
Kate McKinnon
John Oliver
Michelle Wolf

Wilde Artist of the Year

(Honoring a truly groundbreaking force in film, stage and/or television)
Bradley Cooper
Hannah Gadsby
Lady Gaga
Nicole Kidman
RYAN MURPHY *

Timeless Star

(Given to an actor or performer whose exemplary career is marked by character, wisdom and wit)
HARVEY FIERSTEIN

20th January 2019
THEATRE REVIEW | Coming Clean, Trafalgar Studios,London

★★★★☆ | Coming Clean

Before the late Kevin Elyot wrote his hit 1994 play My Night with Reg, he wrote Coming Clean (which opened in 1982). It’s now back in the West End after a recent successful run at the King’s Head Theatre.

Both shows deal with the trials and tribulations of being gay, and being in gay relationships. But where My Night with Reg had an AIDS backdrop, Coming Clean takes place during a simplier time, before the HIV crises and before gay men were dying right and left and centre.

At the heart of Coming Clean is the story of a bi-racial couple who, after five years together, obviously have issues. Tony (a natural Lee Knight) and Greg (Stanton Plummer-Cambridge) still love each other, but there is slight tension in the air.

Greg is a successful teacher and writer, while Tony is a not-so-successful writer who writes when he feels like it. And then there is their neighbour William (a fabulous Eliot Hadley), who is funny, camp and all so great to have around. But Tony needs more time to write, and says he doesn’t have time to clean the Kentish Town flat that he and Tony live in, so enter Robert (Tom Lambert), who is hired to clean for them.

It’s obvious where this biting play goes next, but it wonderfully takes us with it through sharp wit and extremely funny one-liners.

And Coming Clean successfully incorporates early 1980’s songs by, among others, Men at Work and Barbra Streisand (where her and Barry Gibbs voices on the song ‘Guilty’ are just like butter) to set the mood of the times.

The actors are all very good, with Hadley just about stealing the show (he comes back near the end of the play as a totally different character – think German Leather), and Knight looks very comfortable on stage.

It’s an intimate stage that could double as a large living room (Trafalgar Studios), and it’s even more of a treat for those audience members who sit in the first row, as they get to be very very close to Lamberts’ bits. This show is highly recommended!

Coming Clean plays at the Trafalgar Studios until February 2nd, 2019. Book Tickets Here

15th January 2019
THEATRE REVIEW | Songs for Nobodies, Ambassadors Theatre, London

★★★★☆ | Songs for Nobodies

Credit – Nick Brittain

Songs for Nobodies is actually songs for everybody in a new one-woman show now playing in the West End.

Australian Bernadette Robinson treats the audience to her ability of being able to sing, uncanningly, like several very famous female singers. But before we get to hear her sing the five voices included in this show Robinson sets up by five fictional characters who each come in contact with each singer. Before she sings the fabulous ‘Come Rain or Come Shine’ by Judy Garland, Robinsons’ character is Bea Appleton, a bathroom attendant at the Plaza Athénée on the night of Garland’s famous Carnegie Hall appearance. Robinson as Appleton goes on to tell the story of their fictional encounter and then breaks out into song. And the same goes for when Robinson sings Patsy Cline’s beautiful ‘Crazy.’ Robinson is now an usher in Kansas City and meets Cline in her dressing Room. Similar monologues set her up singing as Billie Holiday and Maria Callas, but it’s Robinson singing Edith Piaf’s ’Non, Je ne Regrette Rien’ that brings down the house.

But for a 90-minute show with no interval, there are a mere 9 songs sung. It’s a shame that Robinson’s speaking voice and not her singing voice encompasses most of the show. It’s a very beautiful singing voice, especially in such an intimate venue as the Ambassadors Theatre.

Songs for Nobodies, written by Joanna Murray-Smith, (and named as such because of the characters Robinson plays as opposed to the characters she performs as), is a show starring a woman with a special voice that’s a gift, and is now playing only up until February 23, 2019.

Songs For Nobodies play as the Ambassadors Theatre until the 23rd Feb 2019. Book now

14th January 2019
GALECA: The Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics Announces 10th DORIAN AWARDS for Film and TV

The Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics has named its nominees for its milestone 10th Dorian Awards for the best in film and television of 2018.

Leading in the movie categories with eight nominations is The Favourite, followed by If Beale Street Could Talk, Can You Ever Forgive Me and Roma with six nods each, and A Star is Born with four. The stars of the latest “Born” remake—Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga—are both up for Film Performance honours as well as the group’s Wilde Artist of the Year award.

Many of the nominations add some excitement to this year’s film awards season. On GALECA’s short list for best actor: First Reformed star Ethan Hawke and BlacKkKlansman lead John David Washington. Hereditary’s Toni Collette and Yalitza Aparicio of Roma vie alongside Gaga for best actress. Widows upstart Elizabeth Debicki and Black Panther standout Michael B. Jordan up the ante in supporting performance races. And former YouTube star turned Eighth Grade writer-director Bo Burnham scored a nomination for Screenplay of the Year.

The spectacular, practically candy-coated Marvel adventure Panther is one of the titles up for Visually Striking Film of the Year, while the Diane Keaton comedy Book Club and Aquaman are in the running for (or from?) the Campy Flick honor.

In TV categories, FX’s transgender-empowering drama Pose and BBC America’s biting cat-and-mouse thriller Killing Eve lead among drama series. Killing Eve headliners Sandra Oh and Jodie Comer, true to their hit’s storyline, vie against each other for TV Performance—Actress, while Hugh Grant and his “A Very English Scandal” paramour Ben Whishaw face each other on the gentlemen’s side. Also making a fresh impression with GALECA, comprised of over 200 members in the U.S., Canada, Australia and the U.K.: HBO’s hitman comedy Barry, Pop network’s rich-family satire Schitt’s Creek, and Julia Roberts and her cryptic new Amazon conspiracy tale Homecoming.

“We’re thrilled by the strong variety of films and TV performances our diverse group of members has chosen to praise,” said GALECA President Diane Anderson-Minshall, Editorial Director of The Advocate. “In a lovely compliment to the Time’s Up movement, several categories, including Wilde Artist of the Year, Wilde Wit of the Year and Rising Star, are dominated by women this year. And it’s inspiring that the majority of our Director of the Year nominees are people of colour, including Spike Lee, Barry Jenkins, and Alfonso Cuarón.”

“It’s hard to believe this is our 10th go-around of giving out our Dorian Awards,” added GALECA’s Executive Director John Griffiths. “In such oddly combative times, that’s really something to covfefe.”

Speaking of cheeky, along with its latest nominations, GALECA has announced that comedian and radio personality Frank DeCaro (The Daily Show, Sirius XM’s The Frank DeCaro Show) will preside as Master of Ceremonies at its invitation-only 10th Dorian Awards Winners Toast. The event will be held Saturday, January 12, noon to 2:30 at Paley restaurant in Hollywood’s historic Columbia Square.

De Caro, fondly remembered for his turn as the campy movie critic on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, embodies “the perfect mix of wit and sincerity that suits our freewheeling Toast format,” said Griffiths. “He’s not only charming and funny, he has a deep respect for what it takes to make quality entertainment, remains sweetly starstruck even in these jaded times, and keeps his eye and heart on the big picture too.” DeCaro’s latest book, Drag: Combing Through the Big Wigs of Show Business, comes out from Rizzoli this spring.

Since GALECA’s first film and TV favourites were named in 2010, over 200 artists and productions have received a Dorian Award, while over 1000 have received nominations. Among its Film of the Year winners are “Argo” and “12 Years a Slave,” as well as two movies directed by Luca Guadagnino, I Am Love and Call Me By Your Name. With five Dorians each across various categories, Moonlight and Carol stand as the most awarded films in GALECA history, while Transparent, with six wins in best-series categories alone, reigns as the most honoured TV title.

Performers? Jessica Lange, Cate Blanchett and Jeffrey Tambor rank as GALECA’s most honoured so far, while MSNBC news personality Rachel Maddow and filmmaker Jordan Peele have each been recognised with three Dorian wins in non-performance categories.

FULL LIST OF 10TH DORIAN AWARDS NOMINATIONS

Film of the Year

CAN YOU EVER FORGIVE ME?

THE FAVOURITE

IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK

ROMA

A STAR IS BORN

Director of the Year

(Film or Television)

ALFONSO CUARON, ROMA

MARIELLE HELLER, CAN YOU EVER FORGIVE ME?

BARRY JENKINS, IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK

YORGOS LANTHIMOS, THE FAVOURITE

SPIKE LEE, BLACKKKLANSMAN

Film Performance of the Year — Actress

YALITZA APARICIO, ROMA

TONI COLLETTE, HEREDITARY

OLIVIA COLMAN, THE FAVOURITE

LADY GAGA, A STAR IS BORN

MELISSA MCCARTHY, CAN YOU EVER FORGIVE ME?

Film Performance of the Year — Actor

CHRISTIAN BALE, VICE

BRADLEY COOPER, A STAR IS BORN

ETHAN HAWKE, FIRST REFORMED

RAMI MALEK, BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY

JOHN DAVID WASHINGTON, BLACKKKLANSMAN

Film Performance of the Year — Supporting Actress

ELIZABETH DEBICKI, WIDOWS

REGINA KING, IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK

EMMA STONE, THE FAVOURITE

RACHEL WEISZ, THE FAVOURITE

MICHELLE YEOH, CRAZY RICH ASIANS

Film Performance of the Year — Supporting Actor

MAHERSHALA ALI, GREEN BOOK

TIMOTHEE CHALAMET, BEAUTIFUL BOY

SAM ELLIOTT, A STAR IS BORN

RICHARD E. GRANT, CAN YOU EVER FORGIVE ME?

MICHAEL B. JORDAN, BLACK PANTHER

LGBTQ Film of the Year

BOY ERASED

CAN YOU EVER FORGIVE ME?

DISOBEDIENCE

THE FAVOURITE

LOVE SIMON

Foreign Language Film of the Year

BURNING

CAPERNAUM

COLD WAR

ROMA

SHOPLIFTERS

Screenplay of the Year

BO BURNHAM, EIGHTH GRADE

ALFONSO CUARON, ROMA

DEBORAH DAVIS AND TONY MCNAMARA, THE FAVOURITE

NICOLE HOLOFCENER AND JEFF WHITTY, CAN YOU EVER FORGIVE ME?

BARRY JENKINS, IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK

Documentary of the Year

FREE SOLO

RBG

SHIRKERS

THREE IDENTICAL STRANGERS

WON’T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR?

LGBTQ Documentary of the Year

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ANDRE

MCQUEEN

SCOTTY AND THE SECRET HISTORY OF HOLLYWOOD

STUDIO 54

WHITNEY

Visually Striking Film of the Year

ANNIHILATION

BLACK PANTHER

THE FAVOURITE

IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK

ROMA

Unsung Film of the Year

COLETTE

DISOBEDIENCE

THE HAPPY PRINCE

TULLY

WE THE ANIMALS

WIDOWS

Campy Flick of the Year

AQUAMAN

BOOK CLUB

MAMMA MIA! HERE WE GO AGAIN

A SIMPLE FAVOR

SUSPIRIA

TV Drama of the Year

AMERICAN CRIME STORY: THE ASSASSINATION OF GIANNI VERSACE

THE HANDMAID’S TALE

HOMECOMING

KILLING EVE

POSE

TV Comedy of the Year

BARRY

GLOW

THE GOOD PLACE

THE MARVELOUS MRS. MAISEL

SCHITT’S CREEK

TV Performance of the Year — Actor

DARREN CRISS, THE ASSASSINATION OF GIANNI VERSACE: AMERICAN CRIME STORY

HUGH GRANT, A VERY ENGLISH SCANDAL

BILLY PORTER, POSE

MATTHEW RHYS, THE AMERICANS

BEN WHISHAW, A VERY ENGLISH SCANDAL

TV Performance of the Year — Actress

AMY ADAMS, SHARP OBJECTS

RACHEL BROSNAHAN, THE MARVELOUS MRS. MAISEL

JODIE COMER, KILLING EVE

SANDRA OH, KILLING EVE

JULIA ROBERTS, HOMECOMING

LGBTQ TV Show of the Year

A VERY ENGLISH SCANDAL
AMERICAN CRIME STORY: THE ASSASSINATION OF GIANNI VERSACE
KILLING EVE
POSE
QUEER EYE

Unsung TV Show of the Year
THE BISEXUAL
DEAR WHITE PEOPLE
THE GOOD FIGHT
ONE DAY AT A TIME
SCHITT’S CREEK

TV Current Affairs Show of the Year

THE DAILY SHOW WITH TREVOR NOAH

FULL FRONTAL WITH SAMANTHA BEE

LAST WEEK TONIGHT WITH JOHN OLIVER

THE LATE SHOW WITH STEPHEN COLBERT

THE RACHEL MADDOW SHOW

TV Musical Performance of the Year

ADAM LAMBERT, “BELIEVE”, 41ST KENNEDY CENTER HONORS

BILLY PORTER, MJ RODRIGUEZ AND OUR LADY J, “HOME”, POSE

NOAH REID, “SIMPLY THE BEST”, SCHITT’S CREEK

KEALA SETTLE, “THIS IS ME”, 90TH ACADEMY AWARDS

SUFJAN STEVENS, “MYSTERY OF LOVE”, 90TH ACADEMY AWARDS

Campy TV Show of the Year

AMERICAN HORROR STORY: APOCALYPSE

CHILLING ADVENTURES OF SABRINA

QUEER EYE

RIVERDALE

RUPAUL’S DRAG RACE

The “We’re Wilde About You!” Rising Star Award

AWKWAFINA

ELSIE FISHER

HENRY GOLDING

INDYA MOORE

MJ RODRIGUEZ

Wilde Wit of the Year

(Honoring a performer, writer or commentator whose observations both challenge and amuse)

SAMANTHA BEE

HANNAH GADSBY

KATE MCKINNON

JOHN OLIVER

MICHELLE WOLF

Wilde Artist of the Year

(Honoring a truly groundbreaking force in film, stage and/or television)

BRADLEY COOPER

HANNAH GADSBY

LADY GAGA

NICOLE KIDMAN

RYAN MURPHY

8th January 2019
FILM REVIEW | 1985

★★★★★ | 1985

The year is 1985. AIDS had already started to rear its ugly head. It’s also the year that Adrian comes home for perhaps the last time.

1985 is a tear-your-heart-out film about one New Yorker’s journey back home to see his family at Christmas. Cory Michael Smith is just incredible as Adrian, a young man going back home to Texas after a three-year absence to see his father, mother and little brother. But it’s really not a festive time for him – for all the lies and deceits that Adrian tells his family – that his life in New York is just amazing, with a good job and great friends, all this couldn’t be further from the truth. Adrian’s friends back in NYC are all dying or dead – including his partner. Adrian has been to six funerals in that year alone, and he faces the grim fact that he is not immune to the disease that has slowly crept up on gay men like himself. With a doting mother who takes care of all his needs while he is at home (a graceful and saintly Virginia Madsen), a tough religious father who lives his life by the Bible (Michael Chiklis), and a soft younger brother who is into theatre (Aidan Langford), it’s up to Adrian to secretly say goodbye to everyone (including his best friend Carly, played by the wonderful Jamie Chung).

Directed and co-written by Yen Tan, 1985 is a small film that packs quite a punch. It’s one hour and 25 minutes that will hold your attention throughout, with gripping performances, and an equally stunning soundtrack, and will have you reaching for the tissue box many times. Reminiscent of Xavier Dolan’s It’s Only the End of the World (where a terminally ill writer (assumed sick with AIDS) returns home to tell his family he is dying), 1985 is a much much better film.

With a perfect cast, including Madsen who is just simply amazing, as well as Chung, 1985 is a great film in every sense of the word, and excellently captures that time in 1985 when President Ronald Regan had yet to utter the word ‘AIDS’ and when hundreds of young men were dying and there was no treatment available, nothing could be done for them. Tan, along with the cast and crew, in a film beautifully shot in black and white (by Hutch, who also co-wrote the film), has pulled off quite an achievement with this film. Every gay man under 50 really needs to watch this film to understand what gay men over 50 were dealing with in the 1980s and early 1990s.

Order this film now from our online shop and support THEGAYUK

11th December 2018
THEATRE REVIEW | Magic Mike Live, Hippodrome Casino, London

★★★★| Magic Mike Live, London

Expect to be titillated, turned on, terrified (a bit) and perhaps tortured when you go see the newest, and hottest, strip show in town.

Channing Tatum presents Magic Mike Live, on stage in London at The Hippodrome Casino. And while Channing Tatum won’t be on stage taking his clothes off for the audience’s pleasure (though he did attend last week’s opening night), you can guarantee that what you’ll get is exactly what you saw in Tatum’s Magic Mike films where Tatum, and several other hot actors, played male strippers (Magic Mike (2012) and Magic Mike XXL (2015)). Both films made lots of money – and so will this show (tickets range from £29 to £95).

Magic Mike Live is 90 minutes of pure adult entertainment (for the ladies) where more than a dozen good-looking, sexy, hot, and did I mention sexy? men perform for the screaming crowd in a dance and acrobatic spectacular in front of, behind, and literally above their audience. But things get better when the men strip off (to their black undies) and give lap dances to the lucky audience members for performances that are unforgettable and breathtaking.

What is forgettable is the emcee for the evening – Sophie Linder-Lee. Her task is to talk the audience through the action – but it is really necessary? The action, and the male flesh, speaks for themselves!

The theatre at the Hippodrome Casino has been transformed into an intimate, state of the art, magical new home just for Magic Mike Live. And the show is booking all the way to October 2019 – this is how popular the show is!

Just remember, it is strictly an over 18 only event, and sure the audience members are allowed to touch the men, but just be careful that your hands don’t wander to parts unknown!

And after 90 minutes, your heart and blood, will be racing for what is being billed as ‘the sexiest, steamiest show in town.” And while it’s mostly for the ladies, on the night I saw it there were about 6 guys in the audience – a couple were accompanying their missus but the others were gay. So don’t be intimidated – go see the show. And hopefully one of the boys will give you a lap dance!

Magic Mike Live plays at the Hippodrome Casino, London until Sunday 27 October 2019. Book now

5th December 2018
FILM REVIEW | Postcards from London

★★★☆☆| Postcards from London

A young handsome man from Essex travels to the Big Smoke and encounters unusual situations in the new film Postcards from London.

Harris Dickinson, who was so sexy and memorable in last year’s critically-acclaimed film Beach Rats, is again sexy in this new role, a role where he again plays a gay character.

Dickinson is Jim who winds up in, of all places Soho, where he falls into a crowd of male escorts, but these are not the typical kind of escorts one would encounter in any big city – these escorts are of an artistic bend. They, strangely, have a thing for the paintings of Caravaggio – paintings that are all so homoerotic and sexy. And Jim becomes, for one of his paying clients, a character right out of one of Caravaggio’s paintings. But It’s a premise that’s very unusual, including the fact that Jim seems to have some sort of hallucination of planting himself in the paintings, it’s a premise that just doesn’t work.

A film called Postcards from London should show part of London, especially Soho and all its nooks and crannies.

But Postcards from London was shot on a soundstage, so there’s actually very very little (just in the beginning) shots of the city it’s named after. And while most of the other actors are good, and while Dickinson does his utmost best to try to keep a straight face, I guess the only reason to watch this film is because most of the actors are scantily clad most of the time.

Postcards from London is available to pre-order now.

27th November 2018
THEATRE REVIEW | Dietrich Natural Duty, Wilton’s Music Hall, London

★★★★★ | Dietrich Natural Duty

Marlene Dietrich has been called to duty – and lucky for us it’s in London.

Dietrich, star of many a stage and film, as well as many a front line during WWII, was a legend, was a humanitarian, and was perhaps one of the most famous women of the 20th Century. Now, for a second time this year, we can bathe in her presence, and voice, in a show called Dietrich Natural Duty: A One (Wo)man Show now playing at the almost gorgeous as Dietrich venue Wilton’s Music Hall.

In a stunning, shimmering, glittery beaded golden sequin dress, Dietrich (played to perfection by Peter Groom), takes us back to the time when she, in 1942, amidst the battlefields, turns her back at the country of her birth, Germany, and helps to rally, and excite, the troops. Through a mix of song, wit, curves, and a voice to die for, Dietrich Natural Duty is an irresistible and breathtaking show where Groom just about channels his inner and outer Dietrich to shear perfection. This show, and Groom, is mesmerising and will take your breathe away.

Duetrich Natural Duty: A One (Wo)man Show ends its run on Saturday November 24th. To buy tickets, please click here:

http://www.wiltons.org.uk

21st November 2018
THEATRE REVIEW | Briefs, Leicester Square Spiegeltent, London

★★★★★ | Briefs

The Briefs boys are back and they’re being extra naughty!

You know the boys – they are the burlesque troupe from Australia who, annually, bring us fun, frolics, and huge loads – of sexiness – to the Underbelly tent in the Southbank every summer season. Well this year they’re giving us a extra dose of themselves – they are putting on their act in Leicester Square!

Headlining two shows in the Leicester Square Spiegeltent (the first show at 7:30 and a second at 10:15), Briefs: Close Encounters take us into outer space with the sexy guys who wear all sorts of space attire (and luckily for the audience the attire comes off!) in a show that can be described as too sexy for space!

The cast, and pretty much the show, is very similar to their show at Underbelly – but the space theme is a twist in the right direction! The Briefs boys, led by fabulous emcee Fez Fa’anana, includes one of Australia’s leading circus showmen Captain Kidd; acrobat and clownish time-hopping rabbit Dale Woodbridge-Brown; superstar aerialist Thomas Worrell, defying gravity and tying himself in knots above the crowd; and the youngest member of Briefs, the loveable rogue and boy wonder Louis Biggs, as well as performance artist Harry Clayton-Wright.

They perform their circus skills, raucous comedy, and display their unique disrobing skills for the audience to enjoy. But stop press – the 10:15 p.m. show is even more racier, more raucous, with more genitalia on display, and isn’t that what the world needs now?

And after the 10:15 p.m. show the tent becomes a disco where you can dance and boogie with the stars of the show! Having attended both shows last week, and then stayed on for the disco, we had an excellent time. With this, we are definitely buying tickets for their New Years Eve Extravaganza, which will be the place to be in London. It will be guaranteed trash, disco, glamour and nudity!

Briefs: Close Encounters is an encounter I want to experience again and again!

Book tickets for Briefs: Close Encounters click here

20th November 2018
RESTAURANT REVIEW | Iron Bloom, London

★★★★★ | Iron Bloom, London

Iron Bloom restaurant in Shoreditch is easy to walk right past, not knowing it’s there. Well, don’t walk past, go straight in!

Iron Bloom, on Great Eastern Street, in one of the trendiest parts of London, is recognisable only by its beautiful chandelier in the large front window. Next to the window is an imposing iron door. Once you get into the restaurant, you will discover that it is cool and laid back and warm and friendly, just like the food and the staff.

The brunch menu, which was on offer on the bright sunny Saturday afternoon we went, is a potpourri of food. There are typical brunch items (French Toast, Full English Breakfast, Eggs), as well as more unique lunch items (Wild Boar, Sunday Roast Yorkshire Taco, and Spinach Pancake Fritters). The menu says that the main course plates are small dishes and that two or three dishes per person are recommended, so that is what we did, we ordered two dishes each. Boy, we were in for a surprise!

My first order was the Spinach Pancake Fritters, American style pancakes but made with spinach, with bacon and a poached egg on top, and lots of butter to substitute for syrup. They were nice and brown and delicious. While a bit pricey (£13) – I had never had pancakes made this way before. There was a hint of chilli in the fritter, but it didn’t take away from the enjoyment of the dish. My friend had the Wagyu Beef and Bone Marrow Burger with Bacon and Cheese (£15), and with the meat being Wagyu, it had to be very good, and it was, and perfectly cooked. The burger included fried onions and lettuce, with a black sesame seed bun for an extra dose of uniqueness – highly recommended. So these two dishes were main course sizes, and I was beginning to wonder if ordering second dishes was a smart move. Well, my second dish – the French Toast – was a massive portion good enough for two people! Huge Challah-style bread, with wild forest berries sprinkled all over, served with banana dairy-free ice cream & chocolate sauce – was an enormous dish. The french toast was also enormously perfect – perhaps the best looking ones I’ve ever had in London (I am American, and I know my french toast!). Chocolate Sauce is a very good substitute for syrup, though I still do prefer syrup, it was excellent and worth every pound (£14 to be exact) – highly recommended. My friend’s side dish of Crack & Cheese (the crack being a cracker of parmesan embedded into a macaroni and cheese dish consisting of brie, stilton and cheddar) was a perfect, and large, accompaniment to his burger.

All the food we ordered was just perfect. And I have to say that we left the restaurant with very full bellies!

The drinks were also very memorable! I had the Berrigroni – a drink that was light and fruity – with Put e Mes vermouth, and light syrup with an orange slice – which made for a delicious, and affordable (£10), drink. My friend loved his Bloom Sour – a twist on a Pisco Sour – with homemade pineapple, syrup, chilli bitter, lime, egg white and a sprinkling of homemade raspberry powder on top – all squashed into a petit cocktail glass. It definitely had a kick! Meanwhile, their Peruvian and Chilean coffee was perfect to end the meal with, and then we were treated to a shot each of Ammazzacafe´, a liquorice-tasting liqueur which is usually drunk after coffee. Highly recommended whether you have coffee or not.

Iron Bloom has an upstairs and a downstairs. It’s a very industrial look that fits in perfectly with the neighbourhood. There are two cosy booths upstairs that would each fit a party of 5 comfortably, while the rest is stool-style eating (for about 30 people total upstairs and perhaps a bit less downstairs, which is where the kitchen is). It’s actually very stylish and cool, as is Del the bartender, the lovely hostess and waitress Elena (Hi Elena!), and Dean the chef, a born and bred Londoner who really knows a thing or two about cooking. Thanks to the entire staff we had an amazing meal and experience. And you will too, just make sure you don’t walk past the iron door!

IRON BLOOM

46 Great Eastern Street

London, EC2A 3EP

email: reservations@ironbloomshoreditch.co.uk

phone: 02077294235 or 07896718880

instagram: /ironbloomshoreditch

OPENING HOURS
Monday: Closed
Tuesday-Friday: 6pm-11:30pm
Saturday: 12pm-11:30pm
Sunday: 12pm-5pm

17th November 2018
THEATRE REVIEW | Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, Apollo Theatre, London

★★★★☆ | Everybody’s Talking About Jamie

(C) Matt Crockett

Jamie, Jamie, Jamie. ‘Everybody’s Talking About Jamie!’ And damn right they should be. And it’s one year old!

Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, in case you haven’t heard by now, is the heartwarming story of Jamie – a young man from Sheffield who is different from the other kids in his class.

When his teacher asks her students what they want to be when they grow up, one says doctor, another says lawyer, while Jamie says that he wants to be a drag queen! Supported by his mother and her best friend, along with some of his best mates, who all happen to be girls, Jamie’s dream may eventually come true! But first, he has to overcome prejudice, as well as the school bully (and also an unloving father who has practically disowned him), to be able to be who he wants to be!

Everybody’s Talking About Jamie opened to critical acclaim at the Sheffield Crucible in 2017, and has been playing to practically sold out audiences for exactly one year at London’s Apollo Theatre in the West End.

It’s a heartwarming and enduring story that’s actually true. It’s based on the life of Jamie New – who appeared in a 2011 BBC documentary called Jamie: Drag Queen at 16. With Music by The Feeling’s Dan Gillespie Sells, and Books and Lyrics by Tom MacRae, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie is touching, but at the same time manufactured in the way Kinky Boots is (we all know how it is going to end).

John McCrea is brilliant as Jamie – he really works the stage in those high high heels! And he’s a dead ringer for the real Jamie! Rebecca McKinnis is great as Jamie’s mum Margaret, and she does get a show-stopper or two (‘He’s my Boy’ may bring a tear to your eye).

In a bit of stunt casting, Michelle Visage is the teacher, but it’s Shobna Gulati who plays, and is fierce, as Margaret’s best friend, and one of Jamie’s staunchest supporters.

It’s a feel-good show with a feel-good message, and isn’t that we all need right now!

Book tickets to see Everybody’s Talking About Jamie!

13th November 2018