“Dot Cotton Club has been a huge part of the LGBTQ+ scene in Cambridge, first opening its doors almost 30 years ago”
An LGBT+ club night was facing an uncertain future this week and may have been forced to close its doors had a new venue not saved the day.
The Dot Cotton Club, based in Cambridgeshire, which has been in existence for nearly 30 years, has had an emotional week after the venue it uses to host its iconic night, Atomic, are reportedly “struggling with negotiations with their college landlords”.
The club night had been held at Atomic for the last four years.
In a statement, organisers of the Dot Cotton Club said, that there were hopes of working with a new venue, Fez Club, in order to keep the night alive.
“We are sure Dot Cotton Club will continue to evolve”
Speaking about the abrupt ending with Atomic, organisers wrote on the official Facebook page, “Dot Cotton Club has been a huge part of the LGBTQ+ scene in Cambridge, first opening its doors almost 30 years ago, and is the final regular club event here for our community that takes place on a weekend.
“This is hugely important as it provides a safe and welcoming space for both students AND Cambridge locals, along with visitors to the city, to celebrate everything that makes them fabulous. We are also sad for our current home Atomic (formerly Q-Club), as it is one of the only alternative venues in the city with nights catering for the less mainstream communities, including the rock, metal and goth crowds – we know everyone who has visited will miss it greatly.
“Looking to the future, while we hope some agreement can be made to allow us to continue where we are, we are sure Dot Cotton Club will continue to evolve and find some way to keep supporting the community in any way we can.”
Light At The End Of The Tunnel
In a separate post, Dot Cotton Club told its fans, “After seeing our posts online and the story in (the) local press, Fez Club Cambridge have stepped in and kindly offered to help us with a venue to keep our fabulous LGBTQ+ Dot Cotton Club community alive!
“Because they (Fez) already have some other commitments pre-planned in their diary, we still won’t be able to celebrate our festive White Party on December 7th as originally planned, but instead we are moving it to Saturday, December 28th, 10 pm-3 am! The Fez Club has two bars, cocktail menu, large seating area and dance floor, the bathrooms will be gender neutral for the night and there is a lift up to the first floor”.
LAST CHRISTMAS – Festive rom com based on the massive two million selling Christmas hit single by George Michael and Wham of the same name backed up by as many of his other hits as Emma Thompson who is in charge here both in front of and behind the camera can squeeze into the short running time. There are Christmas baubles in every single scene.
Nutshell – An accident prone singleton who is unlucky in love played by Game Of Thrones ‘Queen Of Dragons’ Emilia Clark works in a all year round Covent garden Christmas Grotto Store and she simply loves George Michael music. She meets a new man who has an element of mystery about him but her life really starts to change for the better with his on/off input leading towards a surprising denouement… that some will see coming a mile off.
Running Time – 103 Minutes – Cert PG-12A.
Tagline – ‘Sometimes You just gotta have Faith’
The Gay UK Factor – It is a very ‘straight’ romantic tale with the usual cinema ups and downs so the gay appeal besides the hot male lead Henry Golding all comes in the form of the soundtrack. GM is one of the most successful and popular gay singers of all time and his songs are much loved and hold up superbly well with time. It is great to hear them again largely in their original versions – their relevance to individual movie scenes is another matter all together though.
Cast – Emilia Clark, Henry Golding, Michelle Yeoh, Emma Thomson and a cast of star cameos including Patti Lapone, Rob Delaney, Sue Perkins and even Mr Richard Notting Hill/4 Weddings/Love Actually (which this film aims to be) Curtis… plus two big surprise appearances in the final scene.
Key Player – We would love to say the lovely talented actor/director Emma Thompson but tbh her input in both roles are not her career high points so it is back to Georgie boy again who gave Thompson his permission to use his songs before his untimely death. You get 13 of his most well known songs (some in their entirety) and the much publicised new unreleased song ‘This Is How (We want You To Get High)’ which is mid table GM probably at best… it sure ain’t no ‘Careless Whisper’ or ‘A Different Corner’ that’s for sure.
Budget – $25 Million which is as cheap as chips and it has already made $37 Million with 5 weeks to still go to the big guy in the red suit who like our editor only comes once a year turns up. Christmas films do tend to have long legs in the earning stakes becoming relevant Love Actually/It’s A Wonderful Life stylee every year on DVT/TV/Streaming etc so a potential good little earner and it won’t do George’s record sales any damage either which is great for many of his favoured charities.
Best Bit – 1.05 mins; The movie starts getting into its belated heart warming third act just at the right time as you are wandering where it is going with some fun busking and charity fund raising which fits as perfectly with all the snow and Xmas trees here as a cock in a tinseled glory hole.
Worst Bit – 0.44 mins; A staged bit of early romance on an ice rink is forced in like a set piece that seemed like a good idea on paper but it just doesn’t work and the GM track is a very poor fit which misses the hoped for emotional target by a few thousand candy canes… maybe Ace Of Spades, Anarchy in The UK , Gangnam Style or Baby Shark would have worked better.
Little Secret – George Michael wrote ‘Last Christmas’ one of the most famous festive songs in history when he was just 17 years old. Impressive but get this he had written ‘Wake Me Up Before You Go Go’, ‘Freedom’, ‘Club Tropicana’, ‘Young Guns’, ‘Bad Boy’s and unbelievably ‘Careless Whisper’ before he was 18 when the rest of us were still learning how to jack off properly.
It was probably the most prolific bout of songwriting in History that even members of the Beatles would struggle to compete with. ‘Last Christmas’ was a double A-side with ‘Everything She Wants’ and famously is the biggest selling song in History to never make number one. It is the Third biggest selling Christmas song ever behind Band Aid and Boney M’s hummable ‘Mary’s Boy Child’ far outstripping Slade/Shaky/Mariah/Pogues/Wizard/Cliff/Bing et al.
It has been a hit on 16 separate occasions a world record and it has just reached 90 weeks on the chart which is phenomenal for a tune with not all year round appeal but for some reason it failed to make the Top 20 in the US.
Further Viewing – You can probably make this list yourself but start with About Time, It’s A Wonderful Life, Walking On Sunshine,Four Weddings, Ever After, Two Weeks Notice, Sleepless In Seattle, Notting Hill, The Wedding Singer, Muriel’s Wedding, the magnificent Pretty Woman and You’ve Got Mail which this is basically a carbon copy off this film but that was better.
Any Good – It is OK which most people will see as a disappointment as the idea and premise seems fool proof. It just does not deliver on the promise. The Christmas feel is great so you will feel in the holiday mood on leaving a screening but there are two fundamental flaws.
Firstly the movie just is not that funny and we expect you may laugh once every 30 minutes and that simply is not good enough.
Secondly and even more damaging is the songs with the exception of the headline song’s three appearances have no relevance to the scenes they are in, they seem crow barred in and could actually be swapped with any other GM song without anyone noticing…
Mamma Mia Here We Go Again / LaLa Land or Rocketman this is not.
The tweet grew a large audience and quickly went viral with many people commenting about how true to life the Tweet felt, with at least one exclaiming “Oh my goodness – how accurate this observation is” while another admitted, “I feel like I fit excellently into many of these categories”
Although it did leave one or two questioning about what happens to gay who hit 40/50/60.
Of many people started to add their own thought about what subclasses should be added to the list including, travel gays and theatre gays and one asked, “Wait what about the farmers market / bake sourdough bread and give it to all your friends / raise chickens and sheep outside city limits gay”.
The tweet has over 20,000 likes, nearly 3,000 retweets and over 500 comments.
A comment by the BBC press centre revealed, “The first series of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK has been a huge success for BBC Three with nearly 10 million requests on iPlayer and two-thirds of the audience 16-34.
“It is the most popular BBC Three entertainment programme since the channel moved online in 2016, has won critical acclaim, generated massive conversation online, become event television on BBC iPlayer and delivered a top ten single for The Frock Destroyers.
Green Lit for a second season
(C) BBC / World of Wonder – Photographer: Guy Levy
Having brought RuPaul’s Drag Race UK to British screens for the first time to critical acclaim, BBC Three has opened applications to find another set of sickening queens to compete in the Olympics of drag.
Silence! RuPaul has made her decision, The Vivienne, 29, from Liverpool, has taken the title of the UK’s first RuPaul’s Drag Race Superstar.
Having been crowned she said: “I’m made up, I’ve just won the first-ever season of Drag Race UK this is nuts. That crown is going to look gorgeous, I can see me there washing the dishes in it.”
(C) BBC – Photographer: Leigh Keily
All three of the final queens (Divina De Campo, Baga Chipz and The Vivienne) went into the final with three RuPeter badges each, so it was a level playing field.
At the beginning of the episode, The Vivienne said: “If you think I’ve gone through all these challenges to go home without a crown you can piss right off.”
(C) BBC / World of Wonder – Photographer: Guy Levy
★★★★ | La Clique, Leicester Square Spiegeltent, London
It’s getting cold outside but La Clique is back in town to steam things up!
Back in London after a ten-year absence and now performing in the Christmassy Leicester Square Spiegeltent – La Clique brings with it a potpourri of sexy performances compered by naughty woman Bernie Dieter (Little Death Club). In cosy environs we are treated to performances that are both fun and hot! The sexy Steven Williams shows us what he can do in a bathtub, while not so innocent David Pereira shaves his body on stage – au natural. Charlie Wheeler then twirls his sexy body on a large hoola hoop.
Then there’s Ursula Martinez who seems to find a red handkerchief in almost every part of her body. Plus we’re treated to the gorgeous singing of Kelly Wolfgramm who, along with the La Clique Palace Orchestra, bring the house down with her beautiful voice and their smashing music.
Don’t go once or twice, go to La Clique a few times as the performers are not the same at every performance. We missed the fire breathing Heather Holliday but we’ll definitely catch her at another performance.
La Clique is a must must must for you and your friends. It’s on until January 4th, 2020.
After borrowing $800 from his family, Berry Gordy bought a small house in suburban Detroit, built a recording studio and laid the foundation for one of the most successful record labels of all time. Boasting Diana Ross, Lionel Richie, The Jackson 5, Smokey Robinson and Marvin Gaye, amongst others, Motown records grew to be a phenomenon. Featuring songs including ‘Aint No Mountain High Enough, I Heard It Through the Grapevine, My Girl, Dancing In The Street and Signed, Sealed, Delivered, Motown The Musical delves into the story of the label including its meteoric rise and its troubles as the hits dried up.
The show is punchy and well-paced, moving along at breakneck speed through the label’s back catalogue set against a backdrop of both the rags to riches story of Berry Gordy and the recent social and political history of America. At a time when race riots, the assassination of JFK and Vietnam were at the forefront of the American consciousness, Gordy simply wanted to unify people with his music. The show presents a rather sanitised version of the record label’s history, and touches on Gordy’s relationship with Diana Ross and on his management of some of the biggest names in music. But it is the music which is the major draw here, and it doesn’t disappoint.
Edward Baruwa steps into the shoes of Gordy remarkably well, and has a soulful voice and a natural charisma, holding the show together with his almost constant on stage presence. Olivia Hibbert does a fine impression of Diana Ross, and Daniel Haswell stands out amongst the large ensemble with his performance as Stevie Wonder. The production is incredibly slick, with vivid colours, stunning costumes and an incredibly effective use of projected backdrops which is superb as it transports the audience from scene to scene.
It is difficult to deny the legacy of what Gordy created; the songs remain absolute classics, the artists are legends and the music lives on. Cramming such a sprawling tale into a two and half hour show is a challenge, but by keeping it relatively light and focussing on the music, Motown The Musical is ultimately a feel-good celebration of some of the biggest songs ever recorded.
The Vaults underneath Waterloo train station have been turned into a palace – Red Palace.
And it’s the Prince who reigns over this kingdom. Follow him and his court as they help guide you through various rooms and alleys that will surprise and hypnotize you – they are scenes right out of Alice in Wonderland.
The Vaults have been turned into a labyrinth where you get snippets of his story and are guests at his masquerade party. Enjoy the show in the redecorated Vaults where you are led to various rooms including a room where a Mermaid will tell you her deepest darkest secrets – and she’ll ask for yours! Baba Yaga predicts the future and tells fortunes in her harem, while in the swamp you will more than likely get lost!
The whole adventure is eerie and scary but really cool! Be really immersive and go for the dinner before the show, while a bit rushed, immerses you immediately in the evening where you get to meet the Prince and his guests to the party.
I highly recommend the dinner as you get to meet, over a meal of three courses, your fellow attendees. The delicious meal consists of homemade soda bread with dips, delicious lentil and roasted beetrood salad and baked camembert, wth the main course being a delicious slow cooked lamb, with squash, potatoes, cabbage – and to top it off you are treated to a candy apple for dessert. It throws you immediately into the show! Or if you prefer to arrive a bit later for the ball- it’s a masquerade ball so masks and elaborate costumes, while not mandatory, are recommended – it’s ok!
There is also a bar open all night during the show to get you lubricated with drinks that are unlike any you’d ever had before.
The evening as a whole is a bit complicated as there are no clear cut instructions. My friend and I must’ve missed a couple of the interactive rooms because we just didn’t know who to follow or where to go. And going into the evening not knowing what it was all about left us more confused as the characters finished off the evening in a joust/fight and the main room opened up and became a dance floor.
I’m thinking I might have to go back just to re-live, and to understand, what I was supposed to be a part of, and what this show was all about.
★★★★ | Desiree’s Coming Early, Soho Theatre, London
90 minutes of non-stop comedy is what you’ll get when you see Desiree Burch.
American comedian Burch, now at the Soho Theatre until Saturday November 23rd in a show called Desiree’s Coming Early – rapid fires her tale of her experience at the Burning Man Festival – a festival held every year in the Nevada desert where people are free to be naked – she was! The show is also about her quest for dick there (and not a man named Dick) after the breakup of a long relationship.
Desiree recounts the moment of her being the only woman of colour in a sauna in the desert there, where it’s mostly white people. She also doesn’t hold back on jokes about Bill Crosby, Harvey Weinstein, and more specifically Michael Jackson.
Burch is rude, crude and honest! And her American-style comedy will leave you gasping for air, because she doesn’t! But she’s forthright and honest about a law in California where it was illegal to administer IQ tests to black students. Discrimination?
You decide. It’s the background theme of the show, and a clever one at that.
Desiree Burch, who is about to take this show to New York – is fast, funny, and brutally honest.
★★★★ | Death of a Salesman, Piccadilly Theatre, London
Wendell Pierce and Sharon D. Clarke are amazing in the new production of Death of a Salesman.
Though it’s Pierce who shines a bit more. The show belongs to him in which he plays the character made famous by playwright Arthur Miller – Willie Loman. Transferring from the Young Vic where it played to packed houses, the show has not lost its impact, and in its new home – the Piccadilly Theatre – more people will now be able to see these actors at the top of their game.
Olivier-nominated Pierce is so so so good – it’s an amazing performance where he plays a man who is unravelling – he’s no longer relevant at work, he has a bad relationship with his two sons (Sope Dirisu and Natey Jones – both very good), and to top it off he has suicidal tendencies. About the only thing that keeps him grounded is the love he has for his wife (Clarke), and the love she has for him. But with two jobless adult sons who have not amounted to much, and a job where his young boss (who is the son of the boss that originally hired him), who doesn’t recognise the years and years Willie has dedicated to the job, and practically shuns and doesn’t honour his request to work closer to home (don’t pick up a dropped pencil is the message here), Loman is close to his wits end.
Death of a Salesman is a long show (3 hours and 10 minutes including interval). But it’s riveting. As we watch scenes with Pierce and his sons, and the disappointment he sorely does not want to admit to – Pierce just owns it. And his scenes with Clarke are so tender and vivid it almost feels very realistic. Directors Marianne Elliott and Miranda Cromwell, along with set designer Anna Fleischle, have very successfully re-jigged this show with a black cast to make it seem relevant and real more than 70 years after it was originally written.
A must see.
Death Of A Salesman plays at Piccadilly Theatre until 4th January 2020, book tickets here
Former Olympian turned reality TV star Caitlyn Jenner has been confirmed to enter the jungle for the brand new season of I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here.
The trans star, who is now as famous for her family connections to the Kardashian clan and her stints on reality TV, than her sporting achievements back in the 80s.
(C) BIGSTOCK
Caitlyn announced her transition in 2015. Speaking about the misconception that she’d most like to dispell during her time in the jungle, Caitlyn said that she wanted to “show I am exactly the same person as I have always been”.
This isn’t the first time that the star has been in the jungle. Jenner previously entered the short-lived US version of the show in 2003 before she transitioned. Back then Jenner reached fourth place.
