THEGAYUK

Category: Review

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Orton, Above The Stag

    ★★★★ | Orton, Above The Stag
    One of the great things about London is that you don’t have to go to the West End and pay huge amounts of money to witness great theatre. We have a thriving Fringe theatre, which can on occasion reap rich rewards, as it is presently doing at the tiny Above The Stag theatre in Vauxhall, presently the home for a brand new British musical, Orton based on Joe Orton and Kenneth Halliwell’s intense and ultimately tragic 16 year relationship.

    If you know anything of Joe Orton’s untimely demise, you might think that this would be a dark, gloomy musical, but it is in fact sublimely funny in places, delightfully entertaining and full of that wicked sense of humour that permeates all Orton’s plays. There’s no getting away from the grisly ending of course and Act II is certainly darker than Act I, but, even here, the introduction of the character of Kenneth Williams (brilliantly played by Simon Kingsley) lightens what could have been a turgid descent into tragedy and his wickedly Carry On inspired “Form An Orderly Line” received the biggest ovation of the night.

    At heart, though, this is a love story. Like many others, no doubt, I have often wondered why Orton stayed with Halliwell, when the relationship broke down, and the writes takes the view that Orton, deep down, did love Halliwell. It is also a story of colliding values, Halliwell’s rooted in the past; Orton’s more revolutionary and progressive. He was very much ahead of his time, making no apologies for his love of casual sex with labourers and the like in various public conveniences around London. This actually leads to one of the funniest numbers in the show, “Another Night Another Man”, which is brilliantly and hilariously staged by choreographer Phillip Aiden, making clever use of designer Andrew Holton’s multi-door set.

    Richard Silver’s musical numbers, if not especially memorable, always serve the action and move it forward as they should, and his lyrics are full of the kind of witticism that Orton himself would no doubt be proud of. One slight miscalculation was the inclusion of a song for Mrs Cordon, Orton and Halliwell’s neighbour. It is a lovely ballad, sung beautifully and touchingly by Valerie Cutko (who also puts in a terrific performance of Peggy Ramsay, Orton’s agent), but I question the wisdom of including so late in the show, when one feels the action should be moving inexorably towards its tragic denouement, a song for what is after all a minor character.

    Another was the inclusion of an on stage chorus while Halliwell was having his final breakdown. Though musically it works, I would have had them sing off stage, as if they were presumably voices in his head. Their presence on stage, especially in such a small space, is distracting.

    That is the only question mark I would place over Tim McArthur’s direction, whose pacing of Sean J Hume’s masterly book was always sure and apposite. He also gets wonderful performances from his two leads. Richard Dawes is careful to show the connection between Orton’s wide eyed curiosity at the beginning to his lust for life as he matures, while Andrew Rowney’s insecure Halliwell sows the seeds of his later madness from the moment of his initial obsession with Joe.

    In the movie Prick Up Your Ears, Orton says, when picking up an award, “ My plays are about getting away with it, and the ones who get away with it are the guilty ones. It’s the innocents who get it in the neck…… I’ve got away with it so far – and I’m going to go on;” words that turned out to be anti-prophetic.
    However Above The Stag have got away with it. They undoubtedly have a hit on their hands.

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Fame, Sheffield Lyceum and National Tour

    ★★★ | Fame, Sheffield Lyceum and National Tour

    Based on the film and classic TV series, Fame follows the trials and tribulations of a group of young students studying at the New York School of Performing Arts as they hone their skills in music, dance and acting, as well as falling in love, clashing with the establishment, battling personal demons and dabbling in the dark side of fame.

    The show follows a small group of students from first meeting to graduation, looking at the challenges they face in their academic studies, their artistic studies and their personal lives. Issues such as drug use, love, sexuality and illiteracy are all canvassed as the friends make their way through their time at school.

    The first thing that was noticeable was how the show did feel very fresh and had been updated completely for the 2014 tour. There were iPad’s, mobile phones and references to Katy Perry, Bruno Mars and Rhianna aplenty and the show looked and sounded bang up to date. The variety of musical styles and the vocal gymnastics reflected the modern setting and the dance routines covered a wide variety of styles, from hip hop and street dancing to classical ballet and a flamenco inspired number.

    The show boasts around 20 songs which flow in rapid succession giving the show more of a feel of a musical revue than a piece of musical theatre. The opening number “Pray I Make/Hard Work” set the tone of the show nicely and was modern and contemporary. “Tyrone’s Rap” and “Dancin’ on the Sidewalk” were up-tempo numbers, both of which were infused with a display of hip hop and street dancing. But the standout song was saved for the finale, with “Bring on Tomorrow” being a traditional rousing conclusion to the proceedings which was well performed by the ensemble.

    The cast were multi-talented, with the whole ensemble being able to sing, dance and act, with some even playing multiple musical instruments. The most notable members of the cast were Alex Thomas, who played dancer Tyrone, and who danced a variety of styles with ease and naturalness. Joseph Giacone was in fine voice and entertained as the hormonally challenged Joe Vegas, putting in a comedic and enthusiastic performance, nowhere more evident than in his musical tribute to his overactive “little Joe”. Molly Stewart also put in a great turn as the underdog, Mabel Washington, and surprised everyone with her powerful voice in a soulful, gospel inspired number.

    The set was fairly bland, with very little by way of scenery, set changes or props, but it did provide for a space for a live band on stage, which added to the musical revue feel of the piece. The story itself was fairly thin but was functional. There was little in terms of character development, but this did not come across as a show which was about an in depth story – the attraction here was the music and the well-choreographed set pieces of a variety of dance styles.

    The show hits the mark for its target audience and is theatre for a younger generation. It was fun, vivacious and energetic. Fame thankfully doesn’t take itself too seriously and never attempts to be anything other than what it is, which is a fairly shallow but fun and undemanding piece of entertaining song and dance.

    Fame is currently playing at the Sheffield Lyceum Theatre until the 5th April 2014 before continuing on its national tour

  • FILM REVIEW | Kill Your Darlings

    ★★★★ | Kill Your Darlings

    The cinematic fascination with The Beat Generation continues regardless, following on the heals of Walter Salles’ take on Jack Kerouac’s ‘On The Road’, which the critics were quick to dismiss when it recently had a limited release in US theatres. We now have this new movie which, set in the mid 1940’s, is essentially a prequel to the movement that was about to begin. It’s Lucian Carr’s story, a central figure in Allen Ginsberg’s coming out, and the wittiest member of their clique at university, who ended up killing his obsessed older ex-lover David Kammerer who just wouldn’t leave him alone.

    It’s a heady period in these young men’s rite of passage into adulthood when despite the war going on in Europe they could indulge in whatever extreme pleasure they wanted too. For the wealthy William Burroughs it was an endless stream of drugs, and he coasted through it perpetually stoned. Ginsberg had shaken off his New Jersey roots, and now at Columbia University could finally shed the responsibility of the demands of his mentally ill mother, and nurture his writing and explore his sexuality. He was fixated with the charming, flamboyant and excitable Carr who incessantly quoted chunks of Yeats and Rimbaud but yet relied on Kammerer to actually write all the essays needed to keep him from being expelled from college. Carr’s past history was gradually exposed as the story developed, and he was revealed as possible the most confused of this very challenged bunch of friends.

    Through Carr, Ginsberg met many of the people that would remain in his life and play a significant part one way or another, including Jack Kerouac, one of Carr’s best friends. (Strangely enough another person that he met… again via Carr… was Neal Cassidy who he developed a major crush on, but there is no mention of him at all.)

    Whilst the movie is ostensibly about the murder and the subsequent trial, it is essentially much more about how this bunch of friends gelled together as a group and how that time really set them on course for what lay ahead and would eventual earn them the label the Beat Generation. Carr does get arrested for the murder of his ex lover, and pleads that it was an ‘honour slaying’ i.e. that he was straight and Kammerer was a predatory homosexual. Both Burroughs and Kerouac were also arrested as they helped dispose of the body resulting in Burroughs being forced to move back home, and Kerouac being forced to marry his girlfriend in return for her family bailing him out. But before this all happened, Ginsberg finally lost his virginity to Carr.

    Newbie director/co-writer John Krokidas worked on this movie for 10 years before he got it to its premiere at Sundance this January. It’s a refreshing look at the loss of innocence… Ginsberg’s and Carr’s in particular as it is hard to imagine that Burroughs ever had it to lose… and a much more palatable movie than ‘Howl’ the slightly inaccessible and tad pretentious vehicle in 2010 for James Franco to try his hand at playing Ginsberg. It may in fact end up being the best ever made of this clique, but maybe that’s too premature a statement as there are probably still many more to come.

    I’m still reeling from the fact that the unknown Krokidas could manage to recruit such a first rate coterie of actors for his first movie… The clue maybe in the fact that Christine Vachon of Killer Films (Boys Don’t Cry, Far From Heaven) is one of the producers. Daniel Radcliffe shakes off his Harry Potter mantle to show what a very impressive talent he really has. He also shakes off all his clothes to show that he can also make out with another man in a very convincing way. Ben Foster (The Messenger) was excellent as the very dry Burroughs, and equally wonderful was Jack Huston (Boardwalk Empire) as Kerouac, Michael C Hall (Dexter) as Kammerer and with a very small part, Elizabeth Olsen (Martha,Marcy,May & Marlene) as Eddie Parker, Kerouac’s girlfriend. There is an impressive list of supporting cast that included Jennifer Jason Leigh, Kyra Sedgwick, David Rasche, John Cullum & David Cross.

    However it was young Dane DeHaan (Chronicle) playing the extrovert Carr with a career defining performance, stole every scene he was in.

    The movie will attract a great deal of attention because of the mere fact of seeing Mr. Radcliffe all grown up, but regardless of that, he is definitely worth watching even if like me you have never sat through a Harry Potter movie!

     

    Available on Apple or Amazon

  • ALBUM REVIEW | Sophie Ellis-Bextor: Wanderlust

    ★★★★★ | Sophie Ellis-Bextor: Wanderlust

    You know when you have a favourite artist, someone with a specific, unique sound, a person whose albums you buy, time and again because you love that sound? That pop/dance fusion that has you nodding your head as you listen on your way to work?

    Yeah, that! And then, they go and find a new sound, change things around, shift your expectations slightly left of field…
    That’s the latest self-funded offering from Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Wanderlust. It has a folky appeal, an approach that isn’t formulaic, little in the way of dance tracks… and is proving hugely popular with her existing fans, and the legion of fans she won on her recent stint on Strictly Come Dancing.

    She’s credited her trips to the former eastern bloc as her influence on this album, along with working with Ed Harcourt on writing and producing this album – all equates to a lovely shake up. This lady’s not one to rest on her laurels, with a couple of rug rats under her belt (not literally) and an active social media presence, she’s willing to open up and dismiss that long held aloof image.

    Her distinctive voice is here – one of the few english singers who sing with a tangible english ac-cent, rather than the adopted US slant we know and love.

    Track Listing:
    Birth of an empire – towering and epic, its one to tingle your toes!
    Until the stars collide – beautiful instruments and her lilting voice all mixed in harmony
    Runaway Daydreamer – stripped back to basics and sheer perfection
    The Deer & The wolf – toe tapping without being cliched
    Young Blood – slow and sleek, her voice at its best
    Interlude – a showcase for her vocals in a new style
    13 Little Dolls – made me dance round the living room
    Wrong Side of the sun – a clean sound, great lyrics and a wonderful vocal
    Love is a camera – soaring instruments, almost cinematic
    Cry to the beat of the band – that hypnotic beat and the choir, amazing
    When the storm has blown over – again, no gimmicks, no remix, just her amazing voice on show

    All in all, this is a showcase for how her voice has grown over her career, and also a brave choice of work to put out there. Some may say its a vanity project, self-financed because it isn’t immedi-ately commercial, but its seems to be working. Sales have been good, and to be honest, its grown on me – wasn’t too sure on the first listen. This is one of the reasons for the delay in writing this, rather than immediately after the albums release – it is a grower. If I’d written this after one hear-ing, my rating and review would be very different.

    And thats a good thing – sometimes, being too hasty is a bad thing…

  • FILM REVIEW | Floating Skyscapers

    ★★★★★ | Floating Skyscapers

    Polish writer/director Tomascz Wasilewski’s second feature film is a dark tragic love story that you immediately sense from the opening scenes that is doomed.

    Although it is Poland’s first ever gay movie, it is so much more a story about the search for one’s identity and about being accepted for one’s own true self and accepting others for who they are. Essentially it’s a movie about love. Love between a girl and a boy. Between boy and a boy. Between a mother and a son, and a father and a son. It is completely heartbreaking.

    Koba is a young man who has been training to be a champion swimmer for 15 years. He lives at home with his mother who makes somewhat unnatural and creepy demands on him, plus Sylwia his rather sullen girlfriend of two years. He is also in the closet and furtively seeks out brief sexual encounters with other male swimmers in the locker rooms after practice. And then one evening it all changes when one Sylwia drags him reluctantly along to an art opening and he meets Michel, and there is an immediate attraction between the two men.

    Michel is open about his sexuality although his wealthy family, with whom he still lives, are having difficulty with accepting it. The two men surreptitiously embark on a relationship which Sylwia suspects but will do nothing about beyond being hostile to Michel. Uncharacteristically Koba falls totally for his new lover and as a consequence much to the annoyance of all, he neglects both women in his life, and his training.

    When it finally reaches the point of no return and the men decide to leave the closet once and for all, Kuba is confronted by an embittered pregnant Sylwia, and the fervent demands of his mother that he abandons Michel completely and become a full time father and husband. This is however not the only tragedy that befalls them, and makes for such a bitterly sad ending.

    By using such austere and somewhat foreboding locations Wasilewski has heightened the darkness in this heavyhearted tale in a society that is still unceasingly hostile to most gay and lesbian people.

    Watching here in the US where the acceptance of LGBT rights is now racing along and is reflected in the recent Supreme Court rulings somehow makes this groundbreaking film seem even more poignant and pertinent.

    Recently I reviewed Out Loud the first ever film from Lebanon that dealt with gay issues, and also ‘In The Name of’ the 2nd ever-Polish gay movie (and this one won the coveted Teddy Award for Best Feature at the Berlin International Film Festival earlier this year).

    Change is happening, and these excellent movies are both witnesses to the fact, but also more importantly, instruments of the change too.

    Unmissable.

    Floating Skyscapers is Out Now on Matchbox Films

    BUY ON AMAZON | BUY ON ITUNES

  • FILM REVIEW | Floating Skycrapers

    Polish writer/director Tomascz Wasilewski’s second feature film is a dark tragic love story that you immediately sense from the opening scenes that is doomed. ★★★★★

    Although it is Poland’s first ever gay movie, it is so much more a story about the search for one’s identity and about being accepted for one’s own true self and accepting others for who they are. Essentially it’s a movie about love. Love between a girl and a boy. Between boy and a boy. Between a mother and a son, and a father and a son. It is completely heartbreaking.

    Koba is a young man who has been training to be a champion swimmer for 15 years. He lives at home with his mother who makes somewhat unnatural and creepy demands on him, plus Sylwia his rather sullen girlfriend of two years. He is also in the closet and furtively seeks out brief sexual encounters with other male swimmers in the locker rooms after practice. And then one evening it all changes when one Sylwia drags him reluctantly along to an Art Opening and he meets Michel, and there is an immediate attraction between the two men.

    Michel is open about his sexuality although his wealthy family, with whom he still lives, are having difficulty with accepting it. The two men surreptitiously embark on a relationship which Sylwia suspects but will do nothing about beyond being hostile to Michel. Uncharacteristically Koba falls totally for his new lover and as a consequence much to the annoyance of all, he neglects both women in his life, and his training.

    When it finally reaches the point of no return and the men decide to leave the closet once and for all, Kuba is confronted by an embittered pregnant Sylwia, and the fervent demands of his mother that he abandons Michel completely and become a full-time father and husband. This is however not the only tragedy that befalls them, and makes for such a bitterly sad ending.

    By using such austere and somewhat foreboding locations Wasilewski has heightened the darkness in this heavyhearted tale in a society that is still unceasingly hostile to most gay and lesbian people.

    Watching here in the US where the acceptance of LGBT rights is now racing along and is reflected in the recent Supreme Court rulings somehow makes this groundbreaking film seem even more poignant and pertinent.

    Recently I reviewed ‘Out Loud’ the first ever film from Lebanon that dealt with gay issues, and also ‘In The Name of’ the 2nd ever-Polish gay movie (and this one won the coveted Teddy Award for Best Feature at the Berlin International Film Festival earlier this year). Change is happening, and these excellent movies are both witnesses to the fact, but also more importantly, instruments of the change too.

    Unmissable.

    Buy Now on Amazon

     

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Philip Pullman’s Grimm Tales, Shoreditch Town Hall

    ★★★★ | Philip Pullman’s Grimm Tales, Shoreditch Town Hall

    This immersive retelling of some of Grimm’s best-loved fairy tales, alongside a couple of less well-known ones, is an extraordinary journey through a world that is both familiar and intriguing.

    The characters find themselves in the basement rooms of Shoreditch Town Hall many years after their tales took place. They have entertained themselves by retelling their stories and invite you to join them as they do so.

    We gather amongst mysterious hooded figures in the entrance hall before Red rushes through, urging the crowd to follow her as she leads us down into the bowels of East London. Each simply-decorated room has been magically transformed to evoke a sense of suspense and wonder, but the attention to detail doesn’t stop there.

    Between performance rooms, the corridors are decorated and secret doors hide uninhabited but furnished rooms, all of which lead the mind through many more of Grimm’s tales as if those characters are residents too. The stories themselves are told in a simple manner which allows the characters to live in our own imagination as brightly as those we see before us.

    The storytellers themselves are Ashley Alymann, Sabina Arthur, Rebecca Bainbridge, Annabel Betts, James Byng, Paul Clerkin, Lindsay Dukes and Simon Wegrzyn and there really isn’t a weak link amongst them. Each holds a particular charm in their storytelling manner and an incredible ability to lead you deep into your own imagination.

    However, there is one in particular who shines through as truly exceptional. Simon Wegrzyn plays a thoroughly captivating Wolf, with a look in his eyes that is altogether as dark and conniving as the character he inhabits. Later in the evening, his Hans-My-Hedgehog is a world away from the wicked Wolf, but every inch as captivating and performed with a delightfully humorous sensitivity.

    Hans My Hedgehog is a peculiar tale, and not one I had come across previously. Half-boy half-hedgehog, Hans is disowned by his father so rides his cockerel to the woods, where he lives in a tree playing bagpipes to pigs (as you do).

    Philip Wilson has adapted Philip Pullman’s Grimm Tales: For Young And Old in a manner which remains true to the author’s collection whilst allowing the stories to exist in an entirely new form. Together with Tom Rogers (set and costume), Howard Hudson (lighting) and Richard Hammarton (sound), he has created a wonderful, wondrous world where fiction really does meet reality.

    To experience this magical fairytale world for yourself (and it really is worth doing so), head over to www.grimm-tales.co.uk and book yourself a trip to Shoreditch before 24 April.

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Dark Vanilla Jungle, Soho Theatre

    ★★★★★ | Dark Vanilla Jungle, Soho Theatre

    Andrea keeps getting asked if she’s ashamed.
    Ashamed of what she did to the soldier.
    Of what she did to the baby.
    But Andrea’s not ashamed at all.
    And she wants to tell you why…

    Dark Vanilla Jungle is a powerhouse of a play by award-winning playwright Philip Ridley and stars the amazing Gemma Whelan (Game of Thrones, One Man Two Guvnors).

    Andrea enters onto a bare stage and starts to interact with the audience telling them her story. Initially nervous and shy, she presents her tale with a naïve charm and gaucheness that is achingly funny but mildly alarming. As Andrea’s story progresses there are hints of what’s to come and her nervous shyness turns to an increasingly frenetic and angst-ridden tirade that is breath taking, heart breaking and lyrical. Ridley’s use of language and ability to tell a multi-layered story is pure genius, much like his previous works “Tender Napalm” and “The Fastest Clock in the Universe”. Ridley is a writer at his peak.

    It’s rare that theatre is this affecting and cathartic with the audience taken on a compelling roller-coaster journey that left them bemused, amused, horrified, shaken and perturbed. Viewing this play isn’t a light experience but nor is it one that feels turgid or heavy-handed, instead being fast paced and thrilling. Although dark themes lie at the heart of the play, there’s an uplifting quality to the frenetic pace too and Andrea’s horrific experiences become something that you accept and forgive, understanding just why she isn’t at all ashamed about what she did.

    A huge credit for the power of the piece lies with actress Gemma Whelan who gives a staggering performance that is a sight to behold. The audience are left wondering quite how one actress can give so much and feel exhausted for her.

    The Soho Theatre has proven once again that it is right at the heart of innovative new theatre after a string of recent hits. This is an absolutely brilliant experience not to be missed.
    Dark Vanilla Jungle is on at Soho Theatre until the 13th of April

    Book tickets here: http://www.sohotheatre.com/whats-on/dark-vanilla-jungle-2014/

  • THEATRE REVIEW: Northern Ballet’s Cleopatra, Sheffield Lyceum

    After murdering her brother, Cleopatra takes the throne of Egypt, causing chaos in the Country she rules. Her dominance is reinforced by the arrival of Caesar who falls for her charms. But when Caesar is murdered, she seduces second in command, Mark Anthony, to maintain her power, despite the fact that he is married. But Cleopatra falls for him and their love becomes increasingly intense, leading to tragedy.

    Cleopatra is a show which is full of contrasts and opposites. The cast were in almost perfect synchronicity as they glided across the stage in a display of effortless grace; contrasting with the violent, dramatic and sexual imagery portrayed. The violence and drama were, in turn, counterbalanced by the sensual, erotic and sexual overtones and the themes of dominance, power and betrayal were at the opposite ends of the spectrum to the themes of love and passion.

    The set was uncomplicated allowing for a practical dance space and utilised projected images on the whitewashed buildings to great effect, nowhere more evident than when the set is seen to secrete thick red blood during one particular scene. The striking use of colour provided for a visually intriguing use of contrasts between the white set and the richly coloured costumes. Using a simple colour scheme with the majority of the cast uniformly dressed during the scenes, the pillar box red uniforms of the Roman soldiers and the deep burgundy flowing gowns of the Senate looked stunning against the pale background and enhanced the dramatic impact of the piece.

    The original score was written by Claude-Michal Schónberg, who is perhaps best known as one of the composers of Les Miserables and Miss Saigon, was very much befitting the style and themes of the piece, being heavily influenced by the traditional sounds of the Middle East. The evocative music was a mixture of sensual, dramatic, regal and ceremonial and was strikingly played by the live orchestra. The score, set, imagery and lighting as a whole evoked an atmosphere of the heat, dust and humidity of the Middle East

    The cast were all faultless and performed with intensity and passion. The costumes, which proudly displayed the muscular torsos of the male cast added to the sexually charged and testosterone fuelled atmosphere of the piece which, in turn, contrasted with the femininity of the lead character and the handmaidens. Martha Leebolt excelled as Cleopatra, showing the character’s vindictiveness and vulnerabilities. Javier Torres provided a strong male lead as Mark Anthony and Kenneth Tindall displayed serpentine-like qualities as Wadjet, the God and protector of the Pharaohs.

    Overall, Cleopatra was a very enjoyable piece, allowing for an engrossing and visually stimulating exploration of violence and eroticism.

    Northern Ballet’s Cleopatra is currently playing at the Sheffield Lyceum Theatre until Saturday 29th March 2014. For tickets and information visit http://www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk/event/cleopatra-14 or visit Northern Ballet’s website for details of this; and their upcoming productions at http://northernballet.com/?q=northern-ballet-home .

    Please note that the show contains some brief male nudity.

  • FILM REVIEW | Grand Budapest Hotel

    Wes Anderson’s latest extravagant cornucopia of cinematic delight is a visual overload that as it’s multi-layers are unpeeled, bombards one with such glorious minute detail at a frenetic pace one that there are times when you cannot fail to be dizzy with glee.

    Partly inspired by the works of Stefan Zelig a Austrian Jew who was one of the world’s most famous writers in the 1930s but is now mostly forgotten. The author who serves as narrator of the movie is based on Zelig, but Anderson also claims that the central character of the exuberantly fastidious concierge M. Gustavo is in fact modeled on him too.

    The setting is the fictional mid-European country with a Cinderella-esq pink palace precariously perched on top of the Alps is The Grand Budapest Hotel. The story told in flashbacks is of that glorious carefree pre war period when unseemly luxury was the order of the day. This temple of excess where the wealthy landed gentry were indulged in every whim was overseen by the purple coated M. Gustavo. Adored by both staff and guests alike nothing was ever too much trouble for this dandified perfectionist, from religiously handing out his mots of wisdom to his team, to sleeping with any of the elderly dowager guests. Preferably the ones who were very rich and blond.

    When one such lucky recipient of his sexual prowess upped and died and M Gustavo travelled to his late lover’s Schloss to pay his respects, he discovered much to the chagrin of her evil son, that she had left M. Gustavo with a priceless painting. By now M. Gustavo had taken a paternal shine to Zero his latest Lobby Boy, and the two contrived to snatch the painting and make off with it before the son could stop him.

    What follows is a joyous frenzied romp that includes M. Gustavo being jailed, Zero and his confectioner girlfriend aiding and abetting his escape, with the local militia in hot pursuit. Packed with incidents which really are all about marking the passing of this old World of a more leisured era before the War would end all of this and all that The Grand Budapest Hotel represented. Now as all the goings on are related to the author decades later by the new elderly owner, the Hotel is a sorry remnant of its glorious past. As is the owner, who was once the newbie Lobby boy Zero.

    Mr Anderson as usually sets out to prove that there is no such thing as a ‘small part’ in his movies by packing his cast with a roster of major Hollywood players that they ensure that no character is anything less than a star turn. They include Jeff Goldblum, Harvey Kietel, Edward Norton, Owen Wilson, Bill Murray, Jason Schwartzman, Saoirse Ronan, Willem Dafoe, Adrien Brody, Jude Law, Tom Wilkinson plus Tilda Swinton in her totally scene stealing cameo as an 84 year old Dowager. Ralph Fiennes is superbly sublime as the cologne-reeking reckless Gustavo M., and full credit too the unknown Tony Revelon who held his own in this star studded piece with his captivating performance as young Zero.

    For me like most of Mr Anderson’s previous movies he has to share the well deserved applause with his production designer Oscar nominated Adam Stockhausen and his cinematographer Robert Yeoman who made it look simply stunning. There were times I was so immersed with the impeccably choreographed shots on this candy-box covered set that I practically ignored the story line itself.

    Anderson’s wicked sense of humor and the outrageous characters and the sheer joy he imbues in these near masterpieces of movies unwittingly make them some of the sophisticated campest spectacles in our cinemas today that rightly attract a large gay following worldwide.

    Don’t miss one. It’s a real treat

    Available to buy / view on: Amazon | Amazon Prime | iTunes

  • TECH REVIEW | Dell Venue 8 Pro

    I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again – I’m out and proud…. about my love of Apple and its products.

    I tend not to consider other brands initially, going straight for an Apple version of whatever I want, tablet, phone, laptop, desktop, even TV streaming, however, this job gives me a chance to try other products and be honest about their performance, their design and comparisons to Apple.

    When the Dell Venue 8 Pro arrived, I was a little anxious. I have used Dell laptops in various job roles and found them okay to use, nothing special in terms of design but reliable. So what would their foray into tablets be like?

    On opening the box, I have to admit, Apple’s influence is apparent. The packaging is simple and clean, instructions at a minimum but adequate and the product well protected – and on unwrapping, one hell of a beauty.

    This 8inch tablet bridges that gap between a Smartphone and the usual tablets, such as iPads. It fits in your hand; it has a rubberised backing, which helps if you’re a little clumsy (guilty as charged). Again, like Apple, they have kept buttons and all extraneous details to a minimum and on the sides. This little beauty doesn’t have a centre button like iPad, but once you get used to that, it actually makes more sense to shift it to the side. It allows a decent HD screen size – perfect for watching Netflix on the go, reading emails without squinting (or is that just me?) and surfing the net – at the same time, it makes for a powerful, beautiful item to pop into your bag or pocket to keep you connected to your social networks and entertainment.

    My only issue is around the OS, which is Microsoft based. Although most of us use MS software at some point, usually at work or college, the transition to tablet isn’t always smooth. It takes a while to get used to the swipe left, right, up or down and what each gesture does and where it takes you. The app store is good, and covers all the basics. For me, it made sense to think about what you want to use this for and keep the apps to a minimum. This tablet only has 2GB RAM built in, but you can expand it with an SD card.

    It has 2 cameras built in – and it takes a hell of an image with its 5M pixels – and is light enough to actually be a decent camera alternative. Unlike those who try use their full size iPads as cameras and look like they are about to break their neck! Front and back cameras also make it ideal for Skyping on the go.

    Bluetooth helps you link to external speakers, keyboards and desktops making it flexible and adaptable.

    In terms of improving this well thought out piece of kit, I could only ask for another micro USB port. Some people may want to use this instead of a PC, and the more ports the better – it really is that good. I’m not a huge fan of Microsoft OS, but it works, it does its job and once you get used to it, its easy enough to use – but it’s no iOS. It’s not as intuitive as Apple’s product, but it’s a damn fine piece of kit.

    Price: £239.99 inc VAT from
    http://www.ebuyer.com/611945-dell-venue-8-pro-tablet-pc-5830-0339

    Overall, I love this item – its lightweight, it feels comfortable to hold, it’s quick and responsive, it works well and its a good price. My perspective would be that its a serious contender to an iPad Mini, with a much lower price tag.