THEGAYUK

Category: Review

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Miss Nightingale: The Burlesque Musical

    ★★★★ | Miss Nightingale: The Burlesque Musical

    It’s 1942 and Britain is in the grip of war. Northern nurse Maggie Brown has moved to London to try her hand at a singing career but along with her Jewish refugee song-writer, George, she faces rejection at every turn.

    Things change when the pair meet aristocratic nightclub owner Sir Frank Worthington-Blythe and the saucy burlesque singer, Miss Nightingale, is unleashed on a rapturous London crowd. Complications ensue when Maggie’s relationship proves to be less than perfect and Sir Frank falls in love with George.

    Near the start of the show George states that he wants to bring a touch of pre-war Berlin to war time London and the show certainly achieved that aim with witty numbers, corking dance routines and enough sauce and innuendo to outdo even the cast of a Carry On film. The show is very funny and incredibly infectious with a fantastic set of songs which run the gamut from bawdy through to mournful. Composer, Matthew Bugg has written some corking numbers which had the audience cheering and applauding like crazy and the standing ovation from the crowd at the Leicester Square Theatre proved that the show was a massive hit.

    Award winning burlesque star Amber Topaz is a tiny but powerful ball of cheekiness with a talent to amuse, titillate and dazzle and the two male leads are also well cast and show incredible talent. As well as acting, they sing beautifully and play instruments in the band. How’s that for multi tasking?

    The main theme of the musical is the difficulties faced by gay men in Britain in the 1940s, with fears of damaged reputations, prosecution and ruined lives. The love story between Frank and George is actually quite charming and beautifully rendered.

    For a cracking night out I’d recommend this wholeheartedly.

    The show is on 7th July at Leicester Square Theatre followed by
    • 9th to 13th July: Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford
    • 15th to 17th July: Victoria Theatre, Halifax
    • 18th to 19th July: Lyceum Theatre, Sheffield
    • 22nd to 27th July: Theatre Royal, Windsor

    Book tickets and read more here: http://missnightingale.co.uk

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Private Lives, Gielgud Theatre

    ★★★★ | Private Lives

    If you’re not familiar with Noel Coward’s work then you’re in for a treat with ‘Private Lives’ and the lavish new production at The Gielgud is well worth catching.

    Elyot Chase (Toby Stephens: Jane Eyre, The Tenant of Wildfell Hall) is on his honeymoon in France when he finds that his ex-wife, Amanda (Anna Chancellor: The Hours, Spooks) is in the adjacent hotel room and is also on her honeymoon. Still reeling from their tempestuous failed marriage the pair revisit the havoc that ensued previously.

    Beautiful, stylish and utterly selfish, they are witty, snide socialites. Coward’s dialogue is acerbic, devastatingly vicious and alarmingly witty. The two leads capture the spirit of the play perfectly, with dialogue that feels like a deliciously deadly fencing match. They lunge, parry and attack with rapier sharp put downs and impeccable comic timing. Chancellor is monumental in a series of stylish costumes, looking like she’s stepped straight off the pages of a book of Erte illustrations whilst Stephens captures the louche selfishness, suave posturing and petulant impishness of Elyot perfectly. Chancellor in particular makes the play her own with a seemingly effortless performance that conveys the nuances of Amanda’s character with serious style.

    The set is stunning and Amanda’s apartment in Paris is a visual feast of Art Deco styling. I could have sat in my seat and quite happily stared at the set for an hour but luckily there was much more to see.

    An interesting aside is that Toby Stephen’s wife, actress Anna-Louise Plowman, plays his new wife, Sybil. Added to this, Stephen’s parents, Maggie Smith and Robert Stephens, played the parts of Elyot and Amanda in the same theatre in 1973.

    Highly recommended for those who like their comedy with lashings of clipped tones and sharp witticisms. The audience loved the show and so did I.

    Catch Private Lives at The Gielgud Theatre until 21st of September 2013
    Buy tickets here: http://privateliveswestend.com

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Evita, Sheffield and National Tour

    ★★★ | Evita

    The glamour, passion and politics 1940’s Argentina are brought to life in this revival of one of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s most successful musicals which is back on national tour.

    In 1934, a young and naive country girl, Eva Duarte, falls for a singer and pressures him into taking her to Argentina. Filled with her ambitions to be a singer and actress, she quickly realises the harsh reality of life in the city when he leaves her. Sleeping her way up the ladder, from secretary to model and from radio star to actress, she attends a charity function held by Juan Peron, an aspiring politician with his sights on clawing his way to the presidential seat. They come together, both in love and to further their careers, much to the disapproval of a number of Peron’s political allies. But whilst Evita charms the nation, the corrupt nature of their reign starts to show, her greed and power hungry desires come to the forefront and her body starts to become increasingly frail as she begins to succumb to illness.

    There are a number of reasons to recommend this production. Starting with the music, the show is performed as a sing through musical, and is absolutely crammed with classic songs, including “Another Suitcase, Another Hall”, “You Must Love Me”, “”Oh, What a Circus” and the show stopping, “Don’t Cry for Me Argentina”. The orchestra played beautifully together and the balance of the volume between the music and the vocals was perfect, allowing for both the music and the lyrics to be appreciated. It was also good to be reminded of how well written, enjoyable and powerful the music and songs are when performed live.

    The ensemble cast were incredibly talented and all performed strongly, sounding superb when singing both together and undertaking their solo parts. Mark Heenehan was well cast as Juan Peron, demonstrating his commanding voice and compelling stage presence.Sarah McNicholas gave a heart wrenching performance of “Another Suitcase, Another Hall” and Nic Gibey was ideal as the sleazy crooner Magaldi. However, the standout performance of the evening was by ensemble member Joel Elferink, who managed to consistently out-sing and out-act most of the cast in his numerous parts.

    The play itself was more political in its storyline than the well-known film version and the play moved along at a swift pace, meaning the near two hour running time flew by. There were some well put together set pieces, in particular, “Buenos Aires”, “Peron’s Latest Flame” and “A New Argentina”, which were well choreographed and performed. The set was versatile and well utilised, although did seem cluttered at times, the use of the lighting was atmospheric and effective and the costumes were beautifully put together.

    With so much to recommend it, it is a shame that the two leads were the weak link in both the production and the cast. Marti Pellow was better than expected as Che, but his, performance appeared both forced and strained at times, in contrast to the much more natural performances of the other cast members. Madalena Alberto played the title role with some enthusiasm and she had a good voice, but she lacked the charisma and presence of the character that she was playing, making her performance slightly less believable. Her delivery of “Don’t Cry for Me Argentina” and “You Must Love Me” were the stand out moments of her performance. Their performances did steadily improve over the course of the show and eventually won me over, but it is a shame when the “stars” of a musical are eclipsed by the rest of the cast for the majority of the show.

    Overall, the show was an enjoyable evening and was a well put together production which turned out to be better than anticipated. The music continues to stand up today and despite the show being around 35 years old, this production still sounded fresh and contemporary and was generally well performed by a talented cast, despite what could be argued as a slightly miscast pair of leads.

    Evita is currently playing at the Sheffield Lyceum Theatre until the 13th July 2013 before continuing its national tour.

  • London | Pride 2013 Review

    Well, Pride in London finally arrived, and after last year’s damp squib (World Pride, too, if you remember), it can only be accounted a huge success for the new team in charge. The theme of the parade this year was, rightly, love and marriage, for it won’t be long now before gay men and women will be able to marry their partners, whatever delaying tactics our opponents use. The tide is surely in our favour.

    No doubt those opponents were praying for God’s vengeance on us, for, if not fire and brimstone, at least torrential rain to spoil our day, and, let’s face it, given the miserable June weather we have had so far, it wouldn’t have been that surprising. In the event, it seemed God smiled on us. London basked in the first true summer weather of the year. The sunshine brought out the smiles and, with it, one of the biggest and happiest Prides in recent memory. By report this was also the biggest and most heavily attended Pride in 10 years.

    My friends and I were marching, leather clad, in the first section of the parade, alongside members of MSC London and Bluff, London’s two most prominent leather and fetish wear organisations. We were followed by the most disarming group of LGBT Filipino dancers, whilst ahead of us were a group of fetish dogs and felines, so there was definitely something for everyone. It is absolutely a tremendous experience to march in the parade, but the only problem is that by marching, you don’t get to see the range of people in the parade, nor get a feeling of just how big the it actually is. Years ago, I remember we used to march down Piccadilly, and that was one of the few times one could actually get an idea of the huge size of the event, a truly exhilarating experience. However, there were plenty of photos around on facebook and the like, and some on the net (a wonderful series in The Guardian) that give a great impression of the sheer diversity of our community.

    One of the most enjoyable parts of marching, though, is just seeing the thousands of people, gay and straight, lining the parade route, enjoying the spectacle; waves of positivity and love. People with their families and friends, all there to cheer us on. For those who say that Pride is redundant, that we no longer need it, this is their answer, and this is why we need it.
    Before the parade started I was chatting to one of the guys selling whistles and rainbow flags, an affable born and bred Londoner.

    “You won’t be needing one of these, mate, will ya? Won’t go with your outfit,” he joked.

    “Hardly,” I replied.

    He then went on chat to me about how important he thought Pride was, telling me about his best friend, who had just come out.

    “I think it’s wonderful. He’s marching today for the first time,” he said. “I can’t tell you how important this is for him. I love him, you know. He’s my mate. Makes no difference to me who he fancies. I just hope he can marry some bloke he falls for one day. Have a great day and wave to me wife and kids if you see ‘em. Oh no, you won’t know’em will ya?” he laughed, and went back out into the crowd as I moved off to join my buddies in leather.

    It must have been unbearably hot for those of them in full Bluff leather gear. I had shoehorned myself into my leather trousers, but had elected for just a waistcoat and armbands on top. The sun certainly came as a bit of a shock and I now have white rings round my arms where the armbands were and white patches on my body where the waistcoat went. Ah well, one has to suffer for one’s art.

    The only dissent I witnessed all day was a small bunch of god botherers, waving anti-gay marriage placards. The police had kept them well back and out of the way, and, to tell the truth, nobody, not the revellers, not the marchers, not the spectators, were taking a blind bit of notice of them. You have to wonder why they even bother.

    Once the march broke up in Whitehall, we made our way into Soho to see if we could bag a table outside at our favourite haunt, Balans Cafe, for some lunch. The management and staff had all dressed up for the occasion, and they all looked fabulous, particularly, Rohan, my favourite waiter in all of London, who looked hot as hell in a hard hat, plaid shirt, denim shorts and boots. Sitting was not exactly easy in my ultra-tight leather trousers, but we attracted a lot of attention in our leather gear, with loads of young men wanting to have their photo taken sitting on my lap. I wasn’t complaining.

    As we already had tickets for Summer Rites Pride in the Park, we missed the celebrations in Trafalgar Square, which were apparently superb. I really must get down there next year.
    So, having got changed into rather more comfortable shorts and trainers, we arrived at a busy Shoreditch Park at about 6pm for what was an extremely well planned and organised event. Shoreditch Park is just about the perfect size. Not too big and not too small, and, with an incredible selection of no less than 7 Music Arenas, showcasing an array of London’s finest DJs and Performers, who were representing some of the cities hottest club brands, there really was something for everyone! Aside from the Music Arenas there were also 5 licensed bars, a Fun Fair and a Community Market. Most importantly bar staff and toilets were plentiful, so there was no real queuing. So often at these events, one ends up spending hours in toilet queues or struggling to get a drink at the bar.

    We popped into most of the various tents to see what was going on. Most weren’t over busy to begin with. No doubt, it being such a beautiful day, the majority preferred to be outside soaking up the sun, and indeed that is where we found ourselves for the most part, catching up with friends we hadn’t seen for ages. Later on, the dance tents began to get much busier, as revellers soaked up the music, and danced the night away. I was also impressed with how clean the park was. Either, they had an army of cleaners running around, though I never saw any, or people were making sure they dropped their plastic glasses and bottles in the plentiful bins that were provided.By around 9pm, I had had enough. It had been a long day, my legs and feet were killing me and I decided it was time to go home. I had planned to go to the Hustlaball, but I was just too tired to manage it, and ended up having an early night. I’m sure I missed a great night, but it was nice to wake up at a reasonable hour on Sunday and actually get to enjoy what turned out to be the warmest day of the year so far.Over the next couple of days I scanned the internet for news of the event, but was rather saddened to see that the mainstream press had largely ignored us.

    When, a couple of months back, a few crazy Frenchmen turned up in Trafalgar Square to protest equal marriage, the press was full of it, but thousands marching through the streets, celebrating the diversity of our community, approvingly egged on by thousands of spectators, both straight and gay, they completely ignore us. One does has to ask if there is some sort of agenda going on here. As far as I could make out, only The Guardian on line printed a series of fabulous photographs of the event. I was surprised to see nothing from our usual ally, The Independent.

    It was also rather disappointing that the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, chose, yet again, not to attend. He pledges his support for the LGBT community, but has, as far as I’m aware, only put in one, rather uncomfortable, appearance. Time to get over it, Boris.

    What was not dispiriting is that this year’s event has risen, Phoenix-like, from the ashes of last year’s near fiasco, and has been an incredible success. Roll on 2014.

  • BOOK REVIEW | In His Secret Life, by Mel Bossa

    In His Secret Life is Mel Bossa‘s latest book. Allan has taken care of his sister Elise and her daughter Fay ever since Elise was dumped by Fay’s father. But when Elise meets Dayton, Allan knows things are going to change. It’s not long until Elise & Dayton get engaged and Allan gets to meet Dayton’s family.

    Allan meets Davinder, one of Dayton’s brothers who is married with two kids. Something about Davinder captivates Allan and he’s about to break his one and only rule: never fall for a straight guy.

    In His Secret Life is a love story about a seemingly impossible relationship, which is told over decades. It gives the reader a moral dilemma. On the one hand Davinder is a married man, but on the other it’s clear that he’s unhappily married and that he loves Allan.

    The story is written in three parts. In the first part the characters are introduced and Allan & Davinder meet. The second part is about Allan & Davinder’s affair and the duality of their double lives. The third and final part is about Allan & Davinder’s journey on separate paths back to one another.

    There’s something magical about Mel Bossa‘s writing that hypnotises the reader from the first word. All of the characters are likeable and the story is written from Allan’s perspective. The reader empathises with Allan’s loneliness, as well as the highs and lows of love – that he likens to drug addiction. The use of perspective and these emotions – that everybody has experienced at sometime in their life, creates a connection between Allan and the reader.

    Allan & Davinder’s sexual relationship develops a bit too quickly in the beginning and their was a scene that gave the impression that Allan had drunkenly drove home. But apart from these minor details the plot is perfectly paced, well thought out and exceptionally well written.

    Mel Bossa‘s use letters and emails to show other characters perspectives was a really clever idea. The description ignites the readers imagination, giving a flawless image of the characters, settings and events. The end this book made me cry (with happiness) and was heartwarming.

    In His Secret Life is Mel Bossa‘s best book to date and is one of those incredibly rare books that comes into your life and leaves you feeling changed somehow.

    If you want a book about impossible love made possible, that will make you question yourself, leave you feeling satisfied and joyous then I recommend In His Secret Life by Mel Bossa.

  • FILM REVIEW | Mixed Kebab

    Much better is Guy Lee Thys’s movie “Mixed Kebab”, which details the love affair between a closeted Turkish Muslim boy, living with his ex-pat family in Antwerp and a completely out Belgian boy. ★★★

    (more…)

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Address Unknown, Soho Theatre

    ★★★★ | Address Unknown

    Is it possible to explain the incomprehensible? How can anyone begin to understand what would make a man abandon a deep friendship in favour of joining a radical political movement? ‘Address Unknown’ is a stunning play from 1938 in which Kathrine Kressman looks at just these issues.

    Max and Martin are close friends with strong bonds but when Martin moves back to his native Germany a rift grows between them; a rift that will eventually lead to rejection, betrayal and revenge. The problem being that Max is Jewish and Martin is beguiled by the emerging National Socialist Movement and becomes an official in the Nazi party.

    Max and Martin are close friends with strong bonds but when Martin moves back to his native Germany a rift grows between them; a rift that will eventually lead to rejection, betrayal and revenge. The problem being that Max is Jewish and Martin is beguiled by the emerging National Socialist Movement and becomes an official in the Nazi party.

    It’s a powerful piece, well staged and well acted by the two men and is much more than a dry political commentary. The story is a very human one which subtly unfolds in a well paced and intriguing manner and makes the audience both squirm in horror and laugh with glee.

    It’s a powerful piece, well staged and well acted by the two men and is much more than a dry political commentary. The story is a very human one which subtly unfolds in a well paced and intriguing manner and makes the audience both squirm in horror and laugh with glee.

    He has a good point. Essential viewing for our modern times.

    ‘Address Unknown’ runs at The Soho Theatre until the 27th of July 2013

    Book tickets here: http://www.sohotheatre.com/whats-on/address-unknown

  • FILM REVIEW | Dream On

    ★ | Dream On

    Dream On has almost too much dialogue, most of it stagily delivered, and betraying its origins in a play.

    Set in the 1980s, it is a tale of two teenage boys coming to terms with their sexuality and falling in love, but has not one whiff of the charm of, say “Beautiful Thing”, also coincidentally originally a stage play.

    The main character, Paul, is initially so gormless, one wonders why the slightly more worldly-wise George even bothers with him. He remains completely without charm throughout the film, though we are expected to believe that he has achieved some sort of transfiguration in the final scenes.

    I remained unconvinced. Well-meaning but way too earnest for its own good, “Dream On” is the directorial debut of Lloyd Eyre-Morgan.

    Available to buy / view on: Amazon

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Sweet Bird Of Youth, Old Vic, London

    ★★★★★ | Sweet Bird Of Youth

    I have to confess that I attended The Old Vic with a sense of dread. As much as I love Kim Cattrall, as good a reputation as the theatre has, I couldn’t help but think that this was going to disappoint me.

    The problem is that I’m a massive fan of Tennesse Williams and love the 1962 film version of “Sweet Bird of Youth” and who could match the powerful performances of Paul Newman and Geraldine Page? I was wrong to doubt them. This was an awe inspiring piece of theatre which left me breathless and wanting more.

    The play opens with ageing actress Princess Kosmonopolis (Kim Cattrall) passed out drunk in a hotel bedroom whilst her companion, gigolo Chance Wayne (Seth Numrich) paces nervously, swigging vodka. Chance is a drifter and opportunist with a string of misdemeanours and failures and has hooked up with the Princess (a pseudonym) who is in hiding after a disastrous film premiere, to enable him to return to his hometown in search of the girl he left behind there.

    Both characters are self proclaimed monsters with insecure vanities and fears and regrets. They’re incredibly likeable and attractive monsters though and they manage to reflect the foibles we all have to greater or lesser extents. Numrich is delectable and as he swaggers and lurches about the stage he exudes a fragile masculinity, tinged with vulnerability. He’s also incredibly attractive and has a body which made me shuffle in my seat. Cattrall preens, lurches, has tantrums and breakdowns and is utterly convincing in her role as she wanders round in disarray, popping little pink pills and swigging liquor. The two leads are both exceptional and are well supported by a large cast.

    The staging is also worth commenting on with a versatile and stylish set which transforms from hotel bedroom, to bar room to Southern mansion exterior.

    I’d definitely recommend this play. It’s an absolute tour de force and a stunning take on a rarely seen classic play.

    ‘Sweet Bird of Youth’ runs at The Old Vic until: 31st of August 2013

  • THEATRE REVIEW | High Society, Sheffield Lyceum Theatre and National Tour

    ★★★★ | High Society

    High Society, the timeless musical once again graces the stage in this spirited revival of the classic play based on the MGM Musical.

    It is 1938 and in Long Island, the socialite wedding of the year is about to take place. Tracy Lord is in the midst of preparing to marry in a lavish society wedding when her ex-husband, Dexter Haven, arrives to try to rekindle their romance. Understandably, this throws the plans into chaos, which is further confused by the arrival of an undercover reporter, Mike Conner, who is there to cover the society wedding of the year. Tracy and Mike instantly fall for one another, but with everyone vying for the bride’s attention, and a bride torn between three men, who will she end up walking down the aisle with?

    This musical was a pleasure to watch, being very traditional in terms of its “will they, won’t they” storyline, its simple plot and its rapid succession of songs and the play overall provides a great piece of old fashioned, top notch entertainment.

    The catchy songs were written by Cole Porter and provide a real feeling of the Thirties without ever feeling too dated. The popular score includes “Let’s Misbehave”, “High Society”, “True Love”, “Who Wants to be a Millionaire” and “Well Did You Evah!” and strikes a good balance between spectacular upbeat numbers and romantic ballads. The up-tempo songs were catchy and the cast took on the musical numbers incredibly well, especially the opening scene of each act and the thoroughly enjoyable tap dancing set piece for “Well Did You Evah!”

    Sophie Bould provided the best of the performances as Tracy Lord, with both her acting and singing being spot on. Daniel Boys did a good job as Mike Connor and displayed his incredible singing voice in spectacular fashion whereas Michael Praed proved he is more of an actor than a singer, as his performance was good, but his limited singing range was notable when surrounded by those around him who were much better vocal performers. Light comic relief was agreeably provided by Teddy Kempner as Uncle Willie and the entire ensemble were in fine voice and in perfect time.

    The set design was intelligent and well thought out, whilst not being overcomplicated. It had some nice art deco overtones and the transformation of one set to another was incredibly slick and undertaken as part of the play itself. The costumes were in keeping with the thirties style and looked lovely and the lighting design was incredibly well done.

    Having seen four different productions of this play over the years, I have to say that this was the best version I have seen. The pace was snappy and the cast were polished and professional. The natural performances never felt rushed and the cast were not shy of holding a long pause or taking their time with the slower songs.

    If you are looking for a pleasant evening of entertainment, you appreciate a traditional, old fashioned musical and if you enjoy the slightly twee nature of the MGM classic musicals, then you will enjoy this very well rounded production.

    High Society is currently playing at the Lyceum Theatre, Sheffield until 15th June 2013 before continuing on its national tour.

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Scott Capurro Islamohomophobia, Soho Theatre

    ★★★★★ | Scott Capurro: ‘Islamohomophobia’

    Waspish Californian stand-up Scott Capurro is performing his latest show for 4 nights only at the intimate Soho Downstairs at The Soho Theatre on Dean Street. It’s not a show for the faint hearted but is definitely a treat for those with a dry and dark sense of humour.

    Capurro regales us with tales of his recent marriage to his boyfriend, a near lynching in Cardiff and the events surrounding the death of his mother; a story that is by turns irreverent but ultimately poignant.

    Although you may not feel safe sitting on the front row, as he cunningly wheedles out sordid details of the audience’s personal life, Capurro ultimately comes across as a charming and likeable man who’s enjoying his art. He may have the power to make you choke on your Martini with his acerbic comments but he also could probably manage to seduce you if you gave him enough time or wore loose enough trousers.

    The content of his routine may seem controversial, initially, but it’s all fine as Capurro manages to insult absolutely every group of people without discrimination.

    Catch Scott Capurro live at The Soho Theatre until Saturday the 8th of June