THEGAYUK

Category: Review

  • RESTAURANT REVIEW | Chicago Rib Shack – Aldgate East

    Chicago Rib Shack – Aldgate East – stomach busting food that will do damage to your waist – in a very delicious way!

    There have been so many times when I’ve dined in a restaurant only to be left feeling not fully satisfied and still a bit hungry. Well, a visit to Chicago Rib Shack is quite the opposite – I left very full and extremely satisfied, read more to see why.

    Chicago Rib Shack has just opened it’s fifth London location, right near Aldgate East tube station. Already with a presence in almost every direction in London (Stratford, Clapham, Camden and Twickenham, and they’re also in Leeds), Chicago Rib Shack is changing the way ribs are eaten in London. Their ribs are smoked over applewood chips for a minimum of six hours in a wood burning oven at 107 degrees celsius. So you have a taste of nicely smoked ribs with the option of adding as much BBQ sauce as you want.

    On a Thursday night visit to the newly-opened (two weeks) Aldgate East location, the restaurant was jam packed. Evidently, word had gotten out that on this otherwise unfriendly and bland street a few minutes walk to the tube station was a brand spanking new American-style rib joint. Even when you’re walking by the smell of ribs is so strong and powerful that if that doesn’t lure you in then you’re sense of smell needs to be checked by a doctor.

    The beef ribs did not disappoint. The two on my plate were massive, extremely tender and wonderfully large. These particular ribs are smoked for 18 hours and arrive on the plate moist and meaty. BBQ sauce brought to the table is optional, and while the sauce is one of the best I’ve ever had – not too thick and overpowering – I just had to eat the meat on its own to get the full effect of the flavour. Delicious. If this is too much meat for you, then the baby back ribs might be your style. Lean and much smaller, they are light and lovely. The beef ribs are worth every pound of the £19 price, while a half portion is a snip at £10. I had initially wanted to order the £18 Thick Cut Belly Ribs, but they had run out and it was only 8pm! Hopefully, the restaurant will realise that they need to cook enough to last all night! If you don’t fancy ribs then perhaps a burger (classic cheese at £7.50 or shack stack with a double patty, potato cakes, onion rings, egg, avocado and cheese for a whopping £16). Or perhaps the rump steak (£18), cobb salad (£8/£13), griddled chicken (£13) or Catfish (£12).

    As sides, we ordered pulled pork spring rolls (£6) and crispy catfish (£6). Both were very good, very delicate, and not too overpowering (especially the catfish, which was nicely breaded and not too fishy tasting). They’re served with a cajun sauce but it’s very spicy – try the BBQ sauce instead – it’s a better accompaniment. The Onion Loaf was the most amazing ever! Baked Caramelised onion, it literally looked like a loaf of bread – crispy, very big and absolutely amazing (only £6). The coleslaw was perfect – not overwhelmingly creamy (£4) and the handmade BBQ beans were tasty and good (£3.5). Also on the side menu were fries, mash, and mac & cheese. When you order expect your food to come all at once. Our table was literally overflowing with dishes!

    I had absolutely no room for dessert but stuffed down a Lemon Pot – a lemon curd with lemon biscuit chunks, vanilla ice cream and chantilly cream served in a jam jar – a lovely and sweet dessert, and was an absolute perfect ending to a perfect dinner.

    I can’t stress how delicious the meal me and my dining companion had. While she felt that the spring rolls and catfish were a bit flavorless, (they’re probably meant to be because they’re served with a side of sauce) – we were both amazed at how delicious the ribs and onion loaf were, and how reasonably priced it all was, and how thirst-quenching the Nojito (a non-alcoholic mojito) was, at just £4.50. Their drinks menu is, as you would expect, full of many different types of drinks – classics such as cosmos, martini’s, peach teas, among others. Their signature drinks have intriguing names such as Four Roses Milk Punch, Rib Shack Fizz, Jungle Bird, Paper Planes and Cane ’N’ Oil – all that need to be tried during multiple visits! They also serve all sorts of shakes and the usual wines, bubbles, ciders, beers and soft drinks and juices. The root beer float (£4) is a signature American drink that must be tried, either with your meal or for dessert! A must!

    The Aldgate branch is smartly designed – open planned, with the bar straight ahead as you walk in and the open kitchen inside on the left. But with the open kitchen comes the issue of the whole place smelling of meat! Don’t be surprised that when you leave your clothes and hair will have the smell of meat. Make sure you don’t have any dogs following you home! The tables are nicely laid out in the restaurant, with free standing tables that I urge you to sit at. We sat in the mashed up back section, next to a table of four rowdy bankers – the tables were a bit too close to each other, enough so that when someone got we had to hold the table down to make sure their bum didn’t knock down our drinks and condiments.

    Chicago Rib Shack is stomach-busting food at affordable prices. It’s a trendy hip joint for meat lovers, food that is perfectly cooked and willingly devoured. And some of the branches (including the Aldgate branch) serve brunch. I’ll be back there either again for dinner or brunch once my waistline returns back to normal!

    Reviewed by: Tim Baros

    Telephone: 0207 426 0218

    Address: Wentworth Street London E1 7AL

    Opening hours:
    Mon – Fri: 12:00 pm – 23:00
    Sat: 10:00 to 23:00
    Sun: 10:00 to 22:30

    PRICE: ££ (explained)

    STAR: ★★★★ (explained)

  • FILM REVIEW | The Magnificent Seven

    THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN – 56 years on from the original we get an almost note for note remake of the most famous Western ever made with big stars and modern day stunt action.

    Nutshell – They just don’t make films like this anymore. This is as old-fashioned as a guy using a condom for a shag in a London gay fetish bar or sauna. A town in peril recruits Seven loners to help defend them against a veritable army of bad guys, cue a very extended climax which not everyone is going to make it through in one piece – it feels very dated but that might be its charm and with two massive lead actors it is a worthwhile popcorn guzzler.

    Running Time – 133 minutes; Certificate – 12A

    Tagline – ‘Justice Has A Number’.

    The Gay UK Factor – Two hours of hot men in cowboy gear, it’s like Brokeback Mountain with a lot more sweat and testosterone. There is a massive subliminal gay undercurrent between two of the Mag 7 who always seem just 5 seconds away from slipping their tongues up each other’s mouths and jumping into the ‘saddle’ to explore the reverse cowboy position for a decent shag. The fact that the two guys in question are the hottest men here namely Pratt and Garcia-Rulfo make this virtual Western gay porn.

    Cast – The Seven are – Denzel Washington, Chris Pratt (Hot off of Guardians of the Galaxy and Jurassic Park), Ethan Hawke, Vincent D’Onofrio, our newest man crush Manuel Garcia-Rulfo plus two more and Peter Sarsgaard on bad guy duties.

    Key Player – Denzel Washington just has that star quality that holds your attention in any scene of any movie and no difference here – and it’s his first time in cowboy gear.

    Budget – $90 Million, Not a runaway hit but will turn a small profit we predict.

    Best Bit – 1.40 mins; When the bad guys get out their secret weapon and the tables take a major turn for the worse against our team of Seven and their townsfolk buddies.

    Worst Bit – 0.45 mins; Still travelling around the Midwest recruiting the allotted number of outlaws/vigilantes but it’s getting a bit repetitive now.

    Little Secret – This is a remake of the original Mag 7 from 1960 which itself was a remake of the Seven Samurai from Six years earlier. The ‘So Far So Good’ joke told by Chris Pratt is the same as the Steve McQueen joke in the original. Pratt’s horse was the same talented beast that starred in Spielberg’s War Horse movie.

    Further Viewing – This is as generic a Western as you will see so anything from True Grit to Rio Bravo, High Noon, The Searchers, Stagecoach, Unforgiven or even gay cowboy porn like Fisting Ranch Hands or To The Last Man where a bottle of Jack Daniels is used as a dildo!

    Any Good – Actually yes it is – there is nothing overly clever here but you will be engaged as the slow build of the film leads to the extended action climax where you really route for all the protagonists some of which probably won’t make it out alive.

    Rating – 54/100 (54th out of the last 100 films reviewed with 1 being Gay UK filmatic heaven and 100 being a dud).

  • THEATRE REVIEW | The Last Five Years

    ★★★ | The Last Five Years, St James Theatre

    CREDIT: Scott Rylander

    The St James Theatre near Victoria has had a poor recent track record with widely panned shows such as “Miss Atomic Bomb” and the deeply unfunny comedies “Pig Farm” and “Three Lions” denting their reputation.

    It’s soon to be re-launched as “The Other Palace” (what were they thinking of with that name?). Things may be looking up with the addition of the duo that brought smash hit “In the Heights” to London (artistic director Paul Taylor-Mills and choreographer Drew McOnie) for their first production. Now acquired by Andrew Lloyd-Webber’s Really Useful Company, the intention is that this will be a home for established productions as well new musicals.

    Before the name change, we have the 2001 two-hander “The Last Five Years”. It concerns a New York couple and looks at their failing relationship. Failing actress Cathy tells the story backwards from the point where they split up whilst rising star novelist Jamie tells the story from the time they first meet. There’s a midpoint where their stories match up and they join each other on stage. Told in solo songs, it’s a quirky musical that hasn’t dated much in its style since it was written in 2001 and the form almost works. There is something odd, though, about numbers in which the couple sing to each other but are alone on stage with the other half of the relationship occasionally loping through.

    Star of Les Miserables, Samantha Barks is a gutsy Cathy and can certainly belt out a tune as well as convey emotion. Good-looking “Broadchurch” beau Jonathan Bailey is almost her vocal equal. There are some moving songs, comedic moments and the odd deft touch of lyricism mixed with some heavy-handed metaphors. The main problem lies in connecting with the couple. They appear. They meet. They split up (and do the same in reverse, if you’re watching Cathy’s numbers). We don’t learn an awful lot more. Cathy is a struggling actress who is late a lot. Jamie writes a book and finds success, ultimately neglecting Cathy. It doesn’t feel enough and there’s a limited amount of depth to the story and characterisation that makes the numbers hard to connect with fully. The set is clumsy, pushed and pulled by stagehands with creaky moving parts jerkily appearing and wobbling a la “Crossroads” motel.

    In spite of the flaws: there can’t be many of us who don’t identify with the elation of a fledging relationship or the hideous pain of parting when it all goes wrong. There are some great songs, wry humour and touching moments. There’s a lot to like here (especially the two stars) and hopefully, this is a sign of better things to come (except for the new theatre name).

     

    The Last Five Years plays at St James Theatre until the 3rd December

    Follow Chris Bridges on Twitter

  • THEATRE REVIEW | What Shadows, Birmingham Rep

    ✭✭✭✭ | What Shadows

    CREDIT: Ellie Kurttz

    Is prejudice innate or learned? Is racism okay if everyone is? And is there such thing as racism equality? These are some of the questions that What Shadows evoked, and are still riddling my mind.

    In 1968, Enoch Powell made a speech in Birmingham that created a fissure along the street where it was famously delivered and divided a nation with words that scarred those who became a target of it. The Birmingham Rep put on the production of What Shadows and a troubling moment of history was resurfaced.

    In the Studio Theatre, real trees had been planted to give the idea of wilderness and lighting cast shadows on the wall for different moments of the play. I found myself staring at them a lot to figure out their purpose, and it dawned on me, halfway through, that the trees were probably the same ones that had witnessed history across the decades that the play was set in. They were the shadows of time.

    Cast-wise, each performer was equal in acting craftsmanship. Most actors multipart played different roles showcasing dexterity and natural flair, which contributed to an extremely believable production that took you on a chronological journey of identity. Chris Hannan, the writer of What Shadows, summoned a mixture of feelings in the audience, and without bias, created a story that made the audience ask and debate inwardly how they felt about their own identity: what is natural for human beings to feel? And, is double standards of racism correct?

    Ian Mcdiarmid not only looked the part but his physicality, as well as his tone of voice, were uncannily accurate. The power and fragility of Enoch was brought out by Ian in a subliminal way, and it was one of those performances that stunned you and made you feel incredibly glad to have had the opportunity to watch it.

    Bríd Brennan played Enoch’s wife, Pamela, and Sofia Nicol, an unrivalled genius of the early 90’s, which were played in a delicate and powerful way. The actor who stood out for me for his passionate, strong and utterly convincing portrayal of the Sultan was Phaldut Sharma. When he begged for his wife, Grace Hughes (Paula Wilcox), to remember him was close to tear-jerking, and the racial divide was felt the strongest when he gave a speech about serving with the Punjabi regiment and in the British Army as well as being a comrade of Enoch’s, and then Enoch’s dismissal and belittling of the sacrifices made by his regiment brought racism home. A superb performance I will never forget.

    Paula Wilcox did a sterling job as Grace Hughes, a lady who lost her husband during the war, and embodied, with impeccable skill, a racist resident in Birmingham who sided with Enoch’s views, but when she got to know the Sultan, the racial tension fell away, and left room for love.

    What Shadows plays at The Birmingham Rep until the 12th November

  • FILM REVIEW | Beautiful Something

    ★★★★ | BEAUTIFUL SOMETHING

    Four gay men, all with issues in their lives, experience a night of mystery and sex in the beautifully told Beautiful Something.

    Writer Brian (Brian Sheppard) is sexy and picks up guys in bars and on the street – but they love him and leave him. Then there’s Jim (Zack Ryan), a wannabe actor who doesn’t realise that the man he lives with really really loves him. And that man is Drew (Colman Domingo), a tortured and passionate artist who uses Jim as his muse and model. And then there’s Bob (John Lescault), a wealthy talent agent who is chauffeured around town picking up men but not necessarily for sex. It’s one night in Philadelphia, and these men’s lives intertwine in search of meaningful connections on a night when anything is possible.

    After a one night stand that for some reason goes horribly wrong, Brian goes for a walk and meets Jim, who’s just had a bust-up with Drew. They are immediately attracted to each other and have sex in the house that Jim shares with Drew. Drew, meanwhile, is so involved in his artwork that he’s doesn’t realise that Brian and Jim are downstairs getting it on. But this is not enough for Jim, and after Brian leaves and not wanting to stay home, Jim goes for a walk and is picked up, and intrigued by, Bob. They share a meal only after Bob tells Jim that if he’s an actor he must get out of the car. So Jim lies to Bob and they have dinner and eventually go back to Bob’s palatial home. Meanwhile, Brian looks up an old flame and Drew wonders what is really going on in Jim’s head. All this drama takes place in one sublime night, with the sprinkling lights of Philadelphia providing a romantic and perfect backdrop to the movie.

    Beautiful Something beautifully explores the need for us gay men to seek out romance and adventure in the hopes of finding something, anything, meaningful. Director and writer Joseph Graham successfully captures a night these men, nor us, won’t forget.

    With excellent and realistic performances throughout, Beautiful Something, inspired by real-life experiences, will put a twinkle in your eye and the optimism of love in your heart.

    Available on DVD & Digital HD on November 7th, 2016

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Fool For Love, Found 111

    THEATRE REVIEW | Fool For Love, Found 111

    ★★★ | Fool For Love, Found 111

    This revival of Sam Shepherd’s 1983 drama marks the end of Found 111, the intimate Charing Cross Road performance space. Housed in the old St Martin’s College building next to Foyle’s, this odd little space has seen some triumphant plays in the past year. We’ve had Andrew Scott as one of a pair of reclusive brothers burying themselves in their own hoard of junk in The Dazzle, James Norton delusional, semi-naked and sweaty in Bug and Matthew Lewis as a hot shirtless hustler (a long way from Harry Potter’s fellow student Neville Longbottom) in Unfaithful.

    Fool For Love theatre review
    CREDIT: Marc Brennan

    Fool for Love is a claustrophobic play, suited to the closed, low-ceilinged space and seems a fine choice. Stuntman Eddie and his lover May are acting out the death throes of an on/off relationship in a motel room on the edge of the desert, overlooked by a brooding cowboy. The dialogue is terse as they parry and pace around each other and there are more slamming doors than in a house full of truculent teenagers. It’s a one-act play running at 70 minutes and whilst neither the plot nor theme enthral, the language frequently does.

    Eddie is played to brooding perfection by Ripper Street star Adam Rothenberg. He’s a strutting piece of sexually enthralling, bruised masculinity. His angular face pouts and he cheekily arches eyebrows. He’s also very easy on the eye and is a constant visual draw whenever he’s on stage. Equally strong is Lydia Wilson as May, convincingly showing us a character on the edge, veering between rage and even more rage. The problem is in the chemistry between them. For some reason, it doesn’t entirely work. However strong they are individually, there’s something lacking between them as a pair of long-term lovers. The space doesn’t help. The back of the theatre is opened up into a more expansive space and the atmosphere of an oppressive motel room that was achieved in ‘Bug” doesn’t quite come across here, however, much smoke they pump in.

    Found 111 isn’t going out with a bang (apart from the slamming doors) but nor is it a whimper. This play lies somewhere in between the two. It’s well worth seeing, especially if you’re planning to see Ed Harris in Buried Child at Trafalgar Studios. It fits neatly into the cannon of Shepherd’s work and provides interesting background. Also worth paying cash for is the sight of Adam Rothenberg. Thankfully, the production team are planning on resurfacing in similar quirky spaces that bring theatre away from the proscenium arch and into your lap. Watch this space.

    Fool For Love plays at Found 111 until the 17th December

     

    Follow Chris Bridges on Twitter

  • RESTAURANT REVIEW | Tabun Kitchen

    ★★★★ | Tabun Kitchen – Soho, an excellent new and healthy choice in Soho!

    PR Supplied

    Berwick Street is known for its famous market, but soon it’s going to be known as the street where Tabun Kitchen is.

    Located midway between the market and Oxford Street, Tabun Kitchen is a beacon of light on an otherwise dreary block. It will be the food that will lure you in, and it will keep you going back for more.

    It’s hard to put into words just how delicious the food is at Tabun. There are so many spices, ingredients, elements, and surprises in the food that you’re not exactly sure what you’re eating but then you don’t care because you’ve never experienced these tastes before – Jerusalem Street Food. It’s owner, Hanan Kattan, grew up in a Palestinian household, and she incorporates the ‘Tabun’ oven into the architecture (and cooking) of her restaurant to bring to Soho a unique and flavorful eating experience.

    The menu is quite big and varied so it’s hard to recommend a dish or two as I’ve only been there once (I plan to go back a couple more times actually). Its menu recommends dishes to share; a good idea as it will give you twice as much of a taste of their extremely varied dishes. Our mezze plates were out of this world; the Maftool Cous Cous Salad was a mix of peppers, spring onions, a hint of chilli, coriander, pomegranate dressing and included lamb sausage. The Moutabal Smoked Aubergine Dip was a delicious pomegranate garnish and flatbread croutons sprinkled with thyme. Both are rewarded five stars each! Next time I will try the Jerusalem Falafel and the Jerusalem style dip with cumin spiced fava beans. And to top it off none of these mezze plates are more than £5! Bargain!

    CREDIT: PR Supplied

    For mains, again, it’s hard to pick from the traditional and grills menus. We had the mixed grill – chicken kofta, shish taouk marinated chicken kabob, lamb kofta with warm artichoke with an egg lookalike dollop of white creamy garlic with yellow coloured very spicy yolk. It’s a flavorful dish, sprinkled with parsley. While the meat is cooked just right, and at £14 not a bad deal, I could’ve eaten more meat! My companion ordered, from the pizza menu, the Manaeesh Palestinian pizza (dough topped with white cheese, sundried tomatoes and olives and a bit of ground meat). Palestinian pizza, as you might know, is thin, wet and soggy. My dining companion enjoyed it, however, I wish he would’ve ordered something more exotic like either the Lamb Three Ways, Musakhan Chicken (with caramelised onions and pine nuts), Grilled Prawns or even the Vegetable Makloubeh – with rice, spiced aubergine, cauliflower and broad beans, yoghurt, cucumber and mint sauce, pistachios, pine nut & raisin garnish – it sounds heavenly – and I’m having this next time! The mains and grills are all under £14 while the pizzas are a snip at £8.50. Also, If you want to try a wrap, there are five to choose from: Chicken, Falafel, Cheese and Lamb, all at a friendly price of £8.50.

    Tabun has a huge sides menu to choose from; dishes that will complement your mains. We tried two and they were, while complete opposites, both extremely wonderful. The Avocado Salad – chopped avocado with tomato, coriander with lemon and garlic sauce – was just what you would expect – amazing (£5). And the Za’atar french fries, dusted with thyme spice mix, came with Toum (garlic) sauce (£3.50) – amazing! Also on the menu are pickles, olives, aubergines, hummus, kale salad and the always reliable tabbouleh Salad. But the Avocado Salad and the French Fries were perfection!

    And finally, puddings are a must. The Harisa Cake – semolina cake with coconut and orange blossom syrup – was divine. The Baklava selection, as you would expect, was also delicious and enough to put you over the top. But if you want to try something new – try the Jerusalem Knafe – cheese pastry soaked in sweet, sugar-based syrup. It’s extremely heavy yet very good, and I would recommend you sharing this with your dining companions because it is very filling. All cheaply priced at £5 each.

    Tabun Kitchen has a good white and red wine, rosé and beers and spirits and soft drinks choices, but go for one of the cocktails. The Tabun Mojito – beefeater gin, tonic water, fresh mint leaves, lemon and rosewater – was very thirst quenching and absolutely tasteful, while the Orange Sunset – Vodka, aperol, agave syrup, with freshly squeezed orange juice – was sweet and yet had the right amount of vodka in it. The Spice Trip – rum, orange juice, chilli and watermelon juice – and the pomegranate bellini – are both on my must have list.

    Tabun Kitchen seats 45 people comfortably, both on the ground floor and in the basement. The front room of the ground floor is hot – it’s where the oven is – and on the night of my visit the front door had to be kept open, but then it got too cold, so it was closed again, then it was too hot. I hope Tabun is able to sort this problem out. And one of our dishes didn’t arrive so we had to remind the wait staff, all of whom are very pleasant and nice, what we had ordered. I recommend sitting in the lower ground floor; it’s quant, Mediterranean-style, and very cosy that’s perfect if you’re looking for a place to enjoy the food without being in the hustle and bustle and heat of the main room. Faisel, the charming manager, will take you through the menu if you have any questions. And while the pizza was not sexy and the service a bit disjointed, Tabun Kitchen will not disappoint. It’s warm food and cooking style and abundant fresh and delicious flavours will blow you away.

    Reviewed by: Tim Baros

    Telephone: 020 7324 7767

    Address: 77 Berwick St Soho, London W1F 8TH

    Opening hours:
    Mon – Sat: 12:00 pm – 12:00 am
    Sun: Closed

    PRICE: ££ (explained)

    STAR: ★★★★ (explained)

  • CAR REVIEW | Lexus RX450h F Sport

    ★★★★ | Lexus RX450h F Sport

    For sometime Lexus have been a bit off the mark. The posher brand of Toyota just never managed to make the grade. Their products were too much Toyota. There was nothing special about them. Take the last generation of RX. A competent car in the making with a striking look but let down by an interior no different to a Yaris.

    It’s quite an astounding thing then the new Lexus RX450h. It may have taken them 27 years but finally, they seem to be moving the brand above and beyond parent company Toyota. The inside is special. It feels like a quality product. The fit of the interior has always been one of the key elements of a Lexus. It’s just that they then forgot to add the other elements to make it special. Imagine a Jägerbomb without the Jägermeister. You are left with a plain old energy drink. Gets to the point but that is it.

    Now you get what you should for £53,640 of your hard earned cash. The RX cossets you in grand luxury. The seats are some of the finest I have ever come across. They heat or cool or a bit of both. Set to auto and they will soothe you in a fuss-free way in addition to the climate control making it all very relaxing. Just pay attention when grabbing your phone from the charging area under the dashboard that you don’t catch the button. I did just this and all of sudden the seat was at full heat and that is a lot of heat.

    It was easy to live with. Something I did scoff at when I read the spec sheet was the all-round electric windows that slow down just before they close to reduce noise. Turns out this is no gimmick. It really does work.

    What didn’t quite work for me was the control button on the centre console for the infotainment system. The haptic feedback force is adjustable in 5 increments. It needs 10. On the lowest, it is quite uncontrollable unless you are a whizz playing platform games on the PlayStation. Five was ok but sometimes it was still too loose in my left hand. The infotainment system was easy to use allowing for easy access to the satnav, hi-fi, car info and all manner of settings. The screen is also large. And as if that wasn’t enough you could scroll through options that allowed you to change items displayed on the facia panel. You were always kept up to speed with the Lexus. It told you everything.

    On the RX I can’t quite work out if I liked the CVT (Continuously variable transmission) or not. What that means is that the gearbox is matched to the engine speed. Great in principle when connected to a hybrid system that cuts in and out without any fuss, it’s just that when pressed hard it sounded like you were slipping the clutch of a manual car. It does have a fine override system though where you can change up or down. Quite advanced for a CVT.

    Sound deadening is exceptional in the RX and the V6 24 valve double overhead cam engine sounded great only if you had the windows open. The payoff wasn’t too much of a hardship for most of the time it was all inaudible. That in itself is a great attribute in a hybrid. The quietness adds serenity to the journey. There was next to no noise from the wide tyres fitted emitted into the cabin on any surface.

    Manual inputs into the gearbox amazed me. I hadn’t expected it to be so smooth or adjustable. That gearbox can also take a damn good kicking. The RX won’t sit around idle for long. Unable to actually time it I can vouch that it is indeed quite rapid in its acceleration. What greatly helps this is the impressive figures. The petrol engine alone makes 259bhp at 6000rpm. With the assistance of the electric motors, it adds up to 308bhp and gives an impressive 7.7 seconds 0-60mph time.

    What I have briefly mentioned so far is that this Lexus is a Hybrid. It’s basically a petrol car that has some assistance from electric motors. It works well in as much as the motors assist the petrol engine in forward propulsion. You could select electric vehicle mode for up to about 30 MPH which was great in stop-start traffic. Over that speed and the system wanted to jump into petrol mode. I couldn’t quite get my head around the battery life. In EV mode it felt it would deplete the battery quickly. Full battery recharge was quickly achieved with little thought about it.

    I’ve not avoided the looks on purpose. It is striking and it was the first thing I was greeted with on first acquaintance. The RX is more than looks alone. The exaggerated family grill makes it look like an angry Darth Vader mask and that is no bad thing. These days when you are paying this sort of money for a car you want it to be striking. The design language is exactly that. It hits you head on. Side on. Rear end. You’ll also find yourself hitting your head on the C-pillar of the rear door when grabbing things from the rear seat. The angle is so sharp it caught me out once or twice.

    I have to say I didn’t push the RX around too much. To me, it just isn’t a gun-ho car. It is so much more than that. That said I wasn’t easy on the go peddle. With my heavy right foot I could average 37 – 41 miles to the gallon. The ride was supple over most surfaces. The payoff for this is a bit too much body roll. Due to the high seating position, it felt more exaggerated than it actually was. Overall the driving experience was nice. It has loads of equipment that was easy to use further adding to the luxury feel that Lexus are finally achieving.

    I liked the RX450h more than I thought I would. I’ve a few niggles that I’d like sorted before I went out to buy one but in this sector, you could do a lot worse for the money. It has plenty of kit and it’s a Lexus that now makes you feel special.

    Love

    Serenity
    Comfort
    Equipment

    Loathe

    Haptic feedback of control button
    Satnav dark colours at night
    Auto boot resistance heavy if caught under it

    The Lowdown
    Car – Lexus RX450h F Sport
    Price – £53,640 (as tested)
    MPG – 51.4 (combined)
    Power – 259 bhp @ 6000 rpm petrol (335 bhp @ 4600 rpm electric)
    0-62mph – 7.7 seconds
    Top Speed – 124 mph
    Co2 – 127 (g/km)

  • FILM REVIEW | Inferno

    FILM REVIEW | Inferno

    INFERNO – First we had The DaVinci Code then Angels and Demons now the fourth Robert Landon story becomes the third Dan Brown film adaption.

    film review of Inferno with Tom Hanks
    Jonathan Prime – (c) 2015 CTMG, Inc. All rights reserved.

     

    Nutshell – Tom Hanks globe trots across Europe once again working out cryptic historical clues in another intelligent adventure from one of the Worlds favourite authors. This time the race is against the clock to save mankind from an apocalyptical plague that a nutter has created who has laid the trail along the descent Dantes legendary inferno.

    Running Time – 121 minutes that fly by; Certificate – 12A

    Tagline – ‘Every clue will take him deeper’, ‘Humanity’s last hope’

    The Gay UK Factor – Mr blue eyes himself and one of America’s finest hunks of manhood Ben Foster struts his sexy as f*** stuff as the bad guy and boy does he fill out a designer suit well and we love a stud who dresses to the left suited and booted.

    Cast – Tom Hanks (looking old) v Ben Foster (looking buff) helped by Felicity Jones, Omar Sy and Irffan Khan reunited after living through Jurassic Park.

    Key Player – Dan Brown, the writer who stopped the world with the DaVinci Code’s reveal about the Last Supper picture and Jesus having a child comes up with more great inventive twists in a great thriller that wraps straight from today’s headlines mixes in great art and historical locations and then adds loads of chases so what’s not to like.

    Budget – $75 Million but the yanks aren’t getting it so not busting blocks there but it is storming museum and cinema walls Internationally making a small fortune so easily making up for America’s lack of class here.

    Best Bit – 0.58 mins; A deadly chase across a museum rooftop which is oh so tense with a stunning final stunt… Does everyone live?

    Worst Bit – 1.40 mins; A very aged Hanks has to start fighting the baddies mano et mano when he would obviously rather be at home watching Country File with a mug of Horlicks.

    Little Secret – Neither Director Ron Howard or star Tom Hanks ever do live action sequels (The exception being Toy story). This trio is their one exception but they see the books as all stand alone projects so don’t count as sequels. So don’t get your hopes up for Forrest Gump 2:Back to the chocolates, Apollo 14, Sleepless In San Francisco or Philadelphia:The PrEP Years.

    Further Viewing – Obviously The DaVinci Code and Angels and Demons then Jack Reacher, The Girl On The Train, The Game, Gone Girl and Insomnia.

    Any Good – It is not as good as the previous two films but they set a very high bar. This is still a very entertaining two hours with not a wasted scene as all the explanation is craftily woven in and out of the action and the big set pieces. Another very clever piece of work from this franchise.

    Rating – 56%

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Side Show at Southwark Playhouse

    ★★★ | Side Show at Southwark Playhouse

    There’s something grimly fascinating about conjoined twins. As a child, I longed for a twin, someone within the family who would be just like me and understand me completely. Conversely, I also found family life constraining and claustrophobic and wanted solitude and escape. Imagine having a twin who you share a body with and the implications of this? It’s a strange notion to consider.

    CREDIT: Pamela Raith

    One of the most fascinating sets of conjoined twins in history was Daisy and Violet Hilton. They were born in Brighton in 1908 and were joined at the pelvis, sharing some blood supply. Displayed in freak shows, they ultimately hit the vaudeville circuit in America and ended up appearing in films. Their personal life was unconventional: they ‘divorced’ their guardian and manager, both married gay men and died alone with one twin dying a few days before the other.

    Russell and Krieger’s 1997 musical Side Show should be a fascinating and moving tale. It is and it isn’t. There are some spectacularly good songs but also some drearily forgettable ones. The musical feels a tad derivative at times with too many echoes of Chicago and Cabaret but at others feels unique and powerful. Daisy and Violet’s story begins at the freak show and the ‘freaks’ act out the events of their life; doubling as reporters, courtroom attendants, wedding guests etc. Again, this could have worked well but the whole show feels less of a missed opportunity but more like an almost achieved opportunity.

    The two leads are the supremely talented musical theatre actresses Louise Dearman (the only actress to have played both Glina and Elphaba in Wicked) and Laura Pitt-Pulford. They carry the show and have an electrifying presence. They’re ably supported by Dominic Hodson and Haydn Oakley as their career propelling prospective suitors. The problem lies in how the rest of the cast are used.

    The ‘freaks’ are dressed in what looks like Halloween costumes made by someone’s mother and they’re all a bit too stagey in their actions and expressions. There are lots of broad gestures and facial contortions whilst they enthusiastically plod through the seen-before choreography. The Southwark Playhouse is a small and intimate space and works well for close-up musical theatre but not when the cast is behaving like it’s The London Palladium and the clothes don’t bear up to scrutiny from anything less than 50 feet away.

    Overall, it’s a show worth catching, if only for the chance to see two of musical theatre’s rising stars perform so beautifully at such close quarters. Just try not to ‘Come Look at the Freaks’ (as the opening and closing songs implore). You might feel embarrassed and not for any of the wrong reasons.

    Side Shows plays at the Southwark Playhouse until 3rd December

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  • CAR REVIEW | Toyota Prius Business Edition Plus

    ★★★ | Toyota Prius Business Edition Plus

    Manufacturers since the 1980s have teased us with electric and hybrid technology. No one though had the balls to actually do it. Toyota was the first to give us a hybrid car as a stand alone product called the Prius. It looked like nothing else in the Toyota showroom. In fact, it looked like nothing else anywhere.

    This next statement makes me feel so old. The Prius is now 19 years old. Toyota should be celebrated for this motoring milestone. It was a gamble. It ended up being a game changer. Now the Prius is not the only hybrid out there.

    The few hybrids l have driven have only taken me very short distances so when the opportunity came for me to test one l wasn’t sure what to expect. Toyota gave THEGAYUK two to test. The Lexus RX450h and the Prius. Both new models.

    The Prius was a disappointment. My ears are quite literally screaming from driving it. l had high hopes for the car that brought hybrid technology to the masses but in this latest incarnation, it has left me a little cold. For a car costing less than half of what the Lexus RX450h cost you could say l am being picky. I wish I was. It’s not that the Prius is a bad car. It really isn’t. Huge advances have been made in the 4 generations of Prius since 1997. The Prius has one major flaw.

    The Prius is whisper quiet. On start up, there is no engine noise. The dashboard comes alive with animation and illumination. You select drive via a crystal blue knob where the gear stick would be and you surge forward under electric motion. And here is lays the problem. It’s so noisy! Even at low speeds, noise from the tyres and differing road surfaces barge into the cabin. I’ve not known anything like it. To those outside, all they hear are their thoughts and screams when they shout out because they didn’t hear the Prius creep up on them. It isn’t even as if the 215/45 17 Bridgestone Turanza tyres are highly rated in noise. Fuel economy rated at C with road noise of 69 decibels. All pretty standard stuff for a branded tyre.

    Noise aside it is an amazing car. At speed on the motorway, it does settle down into a world of its own. There is no wind noise. The Continuously Variable Transmission gearbox settles down into a long-legged stride. It is here that the Prius makes sense. CVT gearboxes are not known for being quiet and when pushed the 1800cc engine will emit audible noise as it spins up to its peak 97bhp at 5200rpm. Then with the powers of hybrid, it settles down to a wafting machine.

    Because the main fascia of the dashboard sits in the middle of the car it is almost too easy to ignore it. It tries to give you all the information you need in a slimline display. It does work well. Thankfully there is a heads-up display that isn’t affected by sunlight coming in through the windscreen. What didn’t work for me was the hybrid display that kept clashing with the speed limit display. I wanted to know when I was in EV mode (electric vehicle) or not. The speed limit display was annoying. It wasn’t as if it hadn’t also appeared on the facia screen. It could thankfully be turned off.

    The 4th generation Prius makes no apologies for its looks. It’s bold and striking. I like it. Actually, I like it a lot. So many cars at the moment are starting to look the same again. Toyota appears to be designing a car, screwing up the paper, unfolding it and making the result. A good job is done too. After 19 years on the forecourt, the Prius can now wear its “in your face” looks with pride. The second and third gen Prius’s were awkward yet safe. They never made the grade. This one, however, looks like a spaceship. The problem it will have is within its extremities of the corners. Lights mounted into the bumpers are very vulnerable. Thanks to the auto brake and sensors, you won’t break them, but others misjudging their parking will. What doesn’t work in design is the rear wiper. There is a large unswept area. Probably not such a problem in a left-hand drive model.

    The Prius as a driver’s car was also something I didn’t quite expect. This is, after all, an uber economy car. There is a gauge on the dashboard that scores you out of 100. At best I managed 89. With some serious gun-ho motoring you can get that down to 8! For that, you have to drive like the wind. I have been witness to this. It was during this spirited ride as a passenger that first made me appreciate the Prius before I even had one. It does not pretend to be a sports car but the weight bias of the engine in the front and batteries in the rear must play a part in the making of a finely balanced chassis. Never underestimate a Prius driver as a slow doodler when you see one in motion. Chances are the owner doesn’t actually know just how good it is.

    The Prius is a good car. With the economy that is achievable, it is a clear winner in almost every respect. It’ll seat 5 and carry you all relatively cheaply wherever you want to go. It’s just that the inside needs to reflect the quietness of the outside. Toyota is capable of achieving this. I just wish they had with this Prius.

     

    Likes
    Economy
    Looks
    Dashboard

    Loathes
    Cabin noise
    Vulnerable extremities of the lights
    Rear visibility

    The Lowdown
    Car – Toyota Prius Business Edition Plus
    Price – £25,995 (as tested)
    MPG – 94.1mpg(combined)
    Power – 97bhp @ 5,200 petrol (142bhp @ 3600rpm electric)
    0-62mph – 10.4seconds
    Top Speed – 114 mph
    Co2 – 76 (g/km)