THEGAYUK

Category: Entertainment

  • BOOK REVIEW | Fanny And Stella

    ★★★★★ | Fanny And Stella

    28th April 1870: The flamboyantly dressed Miss Fanny Park and Miss Stella Boulton are causing a stir in the Strand Theatre.

    All eyes are riveted upon the two young ladies as they look down on the stalls, calling out to, flirting with and ogling the fine gentlemen below. Moments later they are led away by the police. What followed was a huge scandal that shocked and titillated Victorian England in equal measure.

    Fanny and Stella – two very alluring ladies-about-town – were not ordinary young women. They were actually young men who liked to dress as women: Ernest Boulton and Frederick Park, a bank clerk and solicitor respectively, part-time actresses and part-time prostitutes. Stella was the most beautiful female impersonator of her day, Fanny her sturdier and plainer companion. When the Metropolitan Police launched a secret campaign to bring about their downfall, they were arrested and subjected to a sensational show trial in Westminster Hall and if found guilty, they faced life imprisonment.

    As the trial of ‘the Young Men in Women’s Clothes’ unfolded, Fanny and Stella’s extraordinary lives as wives and daughters, actresses and whores were revealed to an incredulous public. The revelations shocked a nation of Victorians as the seamy underbelly of a hypocritical society was exposed with a cast of prostitutes, brothel keepers and transvestites gaining prominence along with a bevy of respectable aristocrats, businessmen and ambassadors who were implicated in the scandal.

    McKenna has meticulously researched the subject of the two unfortunate young men for this informative but also entertaining and gripping book. The story is both titillating and amusing as the trial unfolds revealing the antics of the two young men and their consorts. The language used by the Victorians in describing homosexuality and various sexual practices is enough to make you choke with laughter on your Earl Grey and have you lurching towards your chaise longue as you frantically reach for your smelling salts.

    Ultimately, the story made me reel in horror too, not because of Fanny and Stella’s behaviour but more because of the way they were treated by society. Imagine being holed up in prison with the threat of life imprisonment, no face powder and having your anus examined repeatedly for signs of sodomy? I’m sure Danny La Rue never had to go through that.

    McKenna presents us with an account that is fast paced and informative but also hugely entertaining to read as the very human story of the two men unfolds in all its grisly detail. Whether you’re a history fanatic intrigued by Victorian double standards or not, this book is sure to amuse, shock and beguile you. Well worth a read.

     

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  • THEATRE REVIEW | BalletBoyz: The Talent 2013

    ★★★★

    The BalletBoyz have been going from strength to strength since they were formed by Michael Nunn and Billy Trevitt in 2001 following their breakaway from the Royal Ballet. The original remit was to make ballet more accessible and to bring challenging new works to theatres where dance was rarely seen.

    The company have certainly more than achieved their original goal and the diversity of the audience and the overwhelming cheers and applause at the end of the evening certainly prove that their latest show is a popular hit.

    The company of ten young male dancers are from diverse backgrounds and have varying levels of experience and differing skill sets. There’s a boyish French dancer who looks like he’s stepped straight from a Euro twink porn film, a beefy French dancer who would fit in easily in a Triga DVD and an assorted company of hot British boys showing off their biceps, tattoos and toned physiques. One thing they all have in common is their hard abs and rippling musculature which is particularly evident in the first piece, ‘Serpent’, choreographed by Liam Scarlett. The company are all topless dressed in skin tight Lycra which reveals every taut curve and shows off their amazing buttocks to full effect.

    The dances? I almost forgot about those. I was too busy with lechery. The two contrasting pieces are both beautifully choreographed with the challenge of using only male dancers being met fully. ‘Serpent’ uses the dancers to full effect in a fluid display of masculinity, whilst ‘Fallen’ (choreographed by Russell Maliphant) is a more brutal and altogether harder piece which utilises their gymnastic skills, mixed in with ballet and contemporary dance moves. The lighting and music combine to showcase the two pieces and add to the atmosphere.

    The show is definitely very accessible and easy on the eye. The audience in Leicester seemed to be having a fantastic time, judging by the riotous applause at the end of the evening. Whether you love dance, are new to dance or just like to sit and watch a troupe of ten young showing off their buff torsos, the show is well worth checking out.

    The show continues from the 21st of March at The Cambridge Arts Theatre

    Check out the rest of the dates (and the dancers) here:http://www.balletboyz.com

  • THEATRE REVIEW | The Curious Incident Of The Dog In Night Time

    ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ | The Curious Incident Of The Dog In Night Time

    Based in the incredibly successful 2003 novel by Mark Haddon, the stage play The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time has transferred from the National to the Apollo Theatre in the West End.

    The play tells the story of 15-year-old schoolboy Christopher Boone and his quest to solve the mystery of who murdered a dog in his neighbourhood. During his investigation, he discovers secrets and embarks on an adventure where he is forced to leave his comfort zone and ultimately, grow from a boy into a young man.
    Christopher shows signs of an unidentified “behavioural problem” with characteristics normally associated with Asperger’s syndrome or autism. Often, he struggles to communicate with those around him and his frustration can be felt throughout the play. The actor Luke Treadaway, best known for War Horse at the National, who gives Christopher a depth of character rarely seen on the stage today. I expect he is a shoe in to win an Olivier Award for his performance. By the end of the play, you forget he is an actor playing a part and it is hard to imagine Treadaway without a “behavioural problem” of his own- he is incredibly convincing and strangely attractive in the role. A friend who joined me at the theatre swooned when at one point Treadaway took off his shirt. The rest of the cast do a very good job in supporting roles, especially Nicola Walker and Paul Ritter who play his frustrated parents.

     

    Perhaps the only thing that upstages Treadaway’s performance is the incredible set design by Bunny Christie, which mirrors Christopher’s genius mind. The set lights up at various times in the play and can comfortably look like the inside of a bedsit in Willesden as it does deep space.
    The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time is a satisfying trip to the West End. It combines a compelling story, with a stunning set and equally inspired performances from the cast. All theatre should be this engaging.
    Five stars
    Playing at the Apollo Theatre until 4 January 2014

    Tickets at www.nimaxtheatres.com

    Running time 2 hrs 30 mins

  • THEATRE REVIEW | The Great Gatsby, Northern Ballet

    The Great Gatsby seems to be flavour of the month with recent stage adaptations, live book readings; the upcoming film and now the highly acclaimed Northern Ballet have presented a stunning dance interpretation of the famous novel.

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  • FILM REVIEW | R/Evolve

    ★★ | R/Evolve

    Lucas and Lincoln tackle the pains and joys of proposed marriage, of which gay marriage is the defining cultural indifference of the age.

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  • MUSIC REVIEW | Luv Bomb

    Australian Pop Princess Bowie Jane returns with new single Luv Bomb.

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  • Watch This Spoof Anti-Gay Marriage Advert…

    If there ever was an advert to justify a ban on gay marriage, this might be it… (Spoof)

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  • BalletBoyz Go On Tour

    BalletBoyz Go On Tour

    Does the word ‘ballet’ conjure up images of fey young women taking dainty steps or ‘Black Swan’ type divas having meltdowns? You obviously haven’t copped a glance at the testosterone fuelled force that is BalletBoyz yet.

    Balletboyz Balletboyz

    Following triumphant UK and international appearances on stage and screen, the phenomenally popular BalletBoyz return with a brand new show featuring the rippling torsos and raw talent of 10 exceptional young dancers, in an exhilarating evening of exciting and explosive dance. “the TALENT 2013” premières two stunning new dance pieces by internationally celebrated choreographers Russell Maliphant and Liam Scarlett.

    BalletBoyz is one of the most cheekily original and innovative forces in modern dance. Led by former Royal Ballet lead dancers Michael Nunn and William Trevitt, the company thrills audiences and critics the world over with its distinctive style, fusing spectacular dance both energetic and graceful, with stunning music and film.

    They’re currently wowing audiences at Sadler’s Wells before moving on to their national tour which kicks off at Curve in Leicester on the 15th and 16th of March.

    Tickets available here: http://www.balletboyz.com/tour-dates

  • THEATRE REVIEW | The Mousetrap, National Tour

    THEATRE REVIEW | The Mousetrap, National Tour

    ★★★★ | The Mousetrap 

    I have to confess something. I love a good Agatha Christie. There’s something about those comfortable characters, nostalgic settings and contorted plots which always thrills me.

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  • FILM REVIEW | Gayby

    ★★★★ | Gayby

    I had some reservations about Gayby. A lot of these ‘gay films’ are usually clichéd drivel, almost always, an unlikely relationship sparks and then it’s just an hour of plot-holes and bad acting.

    Jenn, a yoga instructor, and Matt, a comic book store worker, are best friends from college who are now single and in their 30’s. In agreement with a pact they made in their youth, the two decide to have a baby (“Gayby”) together, even though Jenn is straight and Matt is gay. Jenn’s grandmother set her up with a trust fund for if she ever had a child, so Jenn is confident that she and Matt will have the finances to have one. However, Jenn states that she wants to have a baby through natural conception, so the two begin awkwardly having sex.

    Gayby was something very different indeed. I found it to be relentlessly charming in every way, with just the perfect amount of drama peppered in. Superbly written and directed by relative newcomer Jonathon Lisecki, It had something that all these other films are missing… A great script.

    The awkwardness of the “Attempted Conception” scenes was genius, with just the perfect combination of one liners, curious glances and the various montages of penetration were just divinely cringe worthy.Possibly the stand out performance of the film is that of Jenn Harris. Harris plays the quintessential fag hag (Jen) to the devastatingly handsome Matthew Wilkas (Matt). Harris brings a depressive vibe into a relatively overused character, which is surprisingly, a breath of fresh air.

    Although it’s the supporting characters that steal the show, both fag and hag have terrifically bitchy henchmen as it were, the ‘femme-bear’ “Nelson” and the incredibly bitchy “Jamie” (Jack Ferver)

    By far the highlight of the film is the fabulous wannabe bear, Nelson, played brilliantly by writer and director Lisecki. The character of Nelson wasn’t particularly appealing to me at the beginning, then suddenly; the character soon manifests as the star of the show. Clearly Lisecki gave himself some of the best lines, yet you don’t really mind, seeing as he pulls them off in the most gorgeously sarcastic manner.

    Gayby’s plot isn’t really anything special; it is essentially a romantic comedy in disguise.

    It’s the characters that make the film stand out. They are multidimensional and most importantly they’re ‘real’.

    Uncompromisingly jovial, I would certainly recommend Gayby to anyone; it has buckets of charm, something that I find to be a rarity in gay cinema.
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  • BOOK REVIEW | In The Mirror, A Monster

    ★★★ In The Mirror, A Monster

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