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  • TECH REVIEW | Kobo Aura

    E-readers… where do you stand on them? I’m more a tablet man myself and prefer the variety of use that they offer. I like that I can watch a film, listen to music or read/listen to a book on my tablet. I can write articles, draw images, edit photos…..anything you can buy an app for. I simply didn’t see the point in a device that has few, and sometimes a single use.

    However, having been given the chance to test drive the new Kobo model, the Aura, I’m almost a convert.

    This compact e-reader is so cute. The design is simple and very elegant with intuitive, almost Apple-esque controls. Its light, weighing in at a mere174 grams, measuring a mere 15 cms by 11 1/2 cms – ideal for reading in bed or on the daily commute.

    It comes with 4GB of internal memory that will hold an entire library, with a battery life that will almost allow you to read an entire library before it needs a charge. The market for e-readers has grown, with electronic books being listed on the bestsellers charts – similar to how downloads are now shown in music charts. Times change and the much declared death of paper based books hasn’t happened as people seem to be happy to buy both types of media.

    There is much made of comparing models – this one does this, its better than that…..but if you’re in the market for one of these, I’d simply suggest that you think long and hard about what you want one for and then compare like for like.

    This one has an expandable memory, so a micro-SD will give you up to 32GB. This is needed as you are able to send Pocket articles to your reader from a browser or smartphone. Its a little like Pinterest for your reader.

    You can go Beyond The Book by linking you to the web contact that explains key facts in the text – think Wikipedia in your reader. I tried it out with The Hobbit – all those dwarf names confused me, so being able to click them and see who is who was a boon!

    The other bonus of this reader is that it isn’t tied to a specific retailer or format. This little box of tricks supports ePub, PDF, JPEG and DRM, amongst others. Although mine was set up ready for reviewing, it takes no time to set up – another Apple-esque feature.

    Kobo has embraced could computing too – your books can be retrieved and read anywhere, bookmarks and settings are synched seamlessly and can be picked up on your other devices.

    I could be classed as a convert. I can see me purchasing something like this simply to read on journeys, read in bed at night or simply use to store and retrieve documents on the go. I still love my tablet and laptop (both Apple, I’ll readily admit) but this sleek little box is ideal to just pop in a pocket or bag and take with you. No bulk, no fuss….just your favourite reads.

    Order a Kobo Aura

  • TOP 5: Chocolate Advent Calendars

    I love Christmas and even more the build up to it.

    What better way to excite yourself silly throughout December than to own a chocolate advent calendar. 24 reasons to get up in the morning. The building excitement as you hit the double figure windows. Then finally the opening of door 24 and knowing this is it, this is the night he’ll visit and spoil me rotten for all my hard work throughout the year. However we’re a long way off yet, so here are my top 5 chocolate advent calendars to help you build the festive cheer this coming December.

    La Maison Du Chocolat: The Advent Calendar

    £48.00 – 24 chocolate boxes.

    This delightful tree shaped calendar decorated with cream and gold numbered boxes hide a collection of holiday chocolates and pralines. My mum will love it even more as it’s the kind of thing she’ll keep to refill herself next year. Top tip, don’t allow her to, she won’t refill with the quality of these delicious chocs!

    www.lamaisonduchocolat.co.uk

    Hotel Chocolat: Truffle for Two Advent Calendar

    £26.00 – 48 truffles

    There’s nothing worse than having your morning choccie pinched by the boyfriend before you’ve had chance to wipe the sleep from your eyes. Well here’s the perfect solution. Behind each window are two mini-dome truffles, one for you and one for him. Of course there’s no law that says you have to share them.

    www.hotelchocolat.com

    Charbonnel et Walker: Christmas Advent Calendar

    £30.00 – 24 chocolates

    A smart classy red box with gold dangling bauble design hides 24 windows to hand-made milk and dark chocolates (non-alcoholic). The trick is to hold off opening all the doors on day one.

    www.charbonnel.co.uk

    Thorntons: The Snowman and the Snowdog Advent Calendar

     

    £5.99 – 28 chocolates

    The cheapest in the bunch and chosen mainly because Christmas isn’t Christmas without watching The Snowman and turning into a blubbering heap on the floor. Well now every morning can be one long emotional mess as you tuck into the milk chocolate treats. Plus there are extra white chocolate snowmen to enjoy and you can have your name iced onto the main window chocolate. It’s what every adult wanted as a child and never got!

    www.thorntons.co.uk

    Drinks by the Dram: Whisky or Gin Advent Calendars

    £149.95 – Whisky, £109.95 – Gin

    For those of you who hate chocolate and feel you need something stronger than a shot of coffee to get out of bed on a cold winters morning, here is the perfect solution. 24 windows each containing 3cl bottles of whisky or gin. These aren’t just your standard wee drops though, these are a selection of the finest tipples from around the world. You can make your own tasting notes throughout the month to find your perfect Christmas plonk. This may be one for opening in the evenings!

    www.masterofmalt.com

  • I Can’t Sing Musical, throws serious shade at Geri Halliwell

    We don’t know how we feel about this but lyrics from the new musical I Can’t Sing throw shade at Spice Girl Geri Halliwell.

    Producers of a new show which is due to open in London next year have released a video in which Geri Halliwell is referenced. The song is called I can’t sing. Geri Halliwell is a former guest judge on the show.

    The song is called “I can’t sing”. Geri Halliwell is a former guest judge on the show.

    The show has been written by Harry Hill and Steve Brown and is due to open next year at the London Palladium.
    At one point the lead singer sings,
    “I had no idea, I didn’t think I could,

    Thought i made Geri Halliwell sound good.”

    Tsk Tsk… Now now, you know you shouldn’t be putting down Lady Halliwell like that.

    I CAN’T SING! goes behind the microphones and under the judges’ desks at the biggest show on earth, and exposes the (allegedly) true story behind The X Factor — a gloriously twisted tale of naked ambition, heartache, hunchbacks and talking dogs.

  • The Overtones hit top 5

    The Overtones have landed their third consecutive Top 10 album after their new collection Saturday Night At The Movies entered the charts at #5, charting above new releases from Shane Filan, The Wanted and Avril Lavigne.

    Recent weeks have seen a rush of activity from the 5 fivesome hunks, with highlights including an interview and impromptu renditions of Pretty Woman and CeeLo Green’s Forget You on BBC Breakfast; a full performance of ‘Pretty Woman’ on ITV’s This Morning; an interview with Rick Astley for Magic FM; and a series of HMV in-stores performances and signing sessions. They will also perform ‘Runaway’ on The Alan Titchmarsh Show this afternoon.
    Already 2014 is shaping up to be another brilliant year for The Overtones as they recently announced that they’ll take their sweet vocal harmonies and easy-going charm around the UK for a nineteen-date tour which begins next February. Public demand for tickets saw a second London date added at the IndigO2 shortly after the dates were announced.

     

  • Lady Gaga warns about communications over the internet

    It seems as though Mother Monster, Lady Gaga, is a firm believer in Astrology as she Tweets a warning about communications over the internet.

    “Applause” singer Lady Gaga took to Twitter today to let her followers know you’ll not be able to ‘side-step the consequences of the things you say on the internet’
    She continued:

    ‘Today is a VERY important day for the ‘resetting’ of communication. Protect your karma, spread love, and THINK before you tweet.

    ‘Be compassionate to those around you who experience consequences for their 2013 communicative choices TODAY, its kingdom come. #ARTPOP2NIGHT

    Quite! Mystic Meg eat your heart out…

  • COLUMN | Bully Boy

    Secondary school was a pretty grim time for me.

    In spite of being bright, having lots of friends and attending a pretty good school, it was a hideous time in my life and one that I shudder to recall. Markedly effeminate and obviously gay, I was a sure fire target for the homophobic bullies and there’s nothing like a touch of bullying to make life a living hell. I still recall evenings at home sitting and crying in my room, the lurching nausea of a Sunday night with the prospect of school the next day and the soul-destroying erosion of my confidence.

    30 years later, I wondered what advice I might give my 12-year-old self, should I discover that elusive time machine. Here are my top five tips to mini Chris. I’m sure that they won’t apply to everyone and I know that facing up to a bully is a complex issue but here’s what I’d tell myself. Hopefully it might have some advice transferable to others too.

    1) Tell people about it

    The worst bullying of all came from a sport’s teacher (clichéd, I know but people often do behave in a way so tediously true to the expected norm). The belittling comments and name calling during sports lessons set a precedent. If it was acceptable for a teacher to call me ‘the poofter’ in front of the class then it was acceptable for everyone, surely? The resolution came when he blacked my eye (accidentally) by throwing an icy cold football at my face with velocity whilst shouting some retro homophobic name at me. Cue a minor inquiry and a partial resolution of his nasty behaviour (it was the ‘80s, people could get away with more bad stuff than now). It’s easy to see, in retrospect, that I could have made it end a lot quicker had I spoken out sooner to maybe my parents or a sympathetic teacher. At the time this felt terrifying and impossible but I realise now that I didn’t deserve this and that whatever I did to speak out then the moron couldn’t hurt me any more than he already was doing.

    2) There’s safety in numbers

    Take comfort in your allies and if possible, befriend the like minded. I’d tell 12-year-old Chris that he has a great bunch of friends who actually seem to like him and will stand up for him. I made friends with two other gay teenagers and that was an incredibly lucky thing for me. I was lucky that they existed and we got on. We’d hang out together and to our surprise, it was harder to bully three people than one. My loyal female friends were a support too. There was a memorable incident when a boy tripped me over on the way home and my female friend punched him squarely on the jaw. He didn’t cross me again for fear of her firm left-hook. Naturally, I wouldn’t ever advocate violence but I really wish I’d known before that my group of friends were so willing to take no nonsense whilst I was prepared to take so much.

    3) What they’re saying is rubbish

    Just because you have a crush on the singer from Duran Duran and like a good show tune doesn’t make you inferior. Whatever names they might call you are utterly irrelevant. The opinion of someone who terrorises someone due to his or her sexuality really doesn’t count at all. It’s worth less than zero. In fact it’s worth less than that even. It needs a whole scale of its own; it’s so beneath contempt.

    4) Look for positive role models

    Not so easy in the 1980s but this is a bit easier now, hopefully. Even back in the bad old days of leg warmers and The Kids from Fame, there were strong positive people to look up to. It was a revelation to me, at the age of 14, to discover gay literature. I devoured books by Edmund White and Felice Picano and took a keen interest in historical figures like Harvey Milk who had fought so strongly for the cause. Pop music gave me idols too and Andy Bell and Jimmy Somerville were strong and unashamedly gay figures. These people taught me more about humanity and strength than any meathead sports teacher or vile acting teenager with an axe to grind.

    I also found comfort from a local gay youth group and the local gay switchboard. I was amazed that other people understood what the strife I was going through and that I wasn’t alone.

    5) Remember: You really are a lot more fierce and fabulous then they’ll ever be

    Nothing to say about this on except: fact!

    This is just my advice to myself and doesn’t apply to everyone. Bullying is a hard thing to stand up to and to get through alone. If you are being bullied because of your sexuality or any other reason, whatever age you are, then please get some professional help and advice.

    Here’s some useful links:

    http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/Bullying/Pages/Homophobicbullying.aspx

    http://www.standupfoundation.com/

    http://www.anti-bullyingalliance.org.uk/advice/children-young-people.aspx

    http://www.eachaction.org.uk/about-each/

    And for more contacts visit: http://www.thegayuk.com/Bullying

  • INTERVIEW | The creatives behind the Laramie Project in Brigton

    Next month, the Academy of Creative Training brings The Laramie Project to Brighton, 15 years after the murder of Matthew Shepard. We speak to Kordian, Paolo and Sarah about the groundbreaking show and why it’s still so important so many years on.

    What is The Laramie Project about
    Kordian: The Laramie project is about the killing of a young boy in a rural town called Laramie. The boy’s name was Matthew Shepard and it is believed that he was killed because of his sexuality. The Laramie Project is an interview- style play where a theatre company called ‘The Tectonic Theatre Company’ run by Moises Kaufman travels to Laramie over the course of two years to talk to Matthew’s close friends, family and the residents of Laramie, Wyoming. The play is a collection of interviews that have been put together in such a way that it gives the audience a chronological image and structure of the run up to the killing, the brutal murder itself and the aftermath.
    Sarah: The Laramie Project is a true story about the aftermath of a hate crime. An unprovoked gay beating.
    The events in the play are real versions of events. When you watch the play you are listening to what are the real words of the townsfolk.
    The style and form of the play is ‘epic theatre.’ which means everything is kept as real as it was as much as possible, even the words. It is like being a ‘fly on the wall’ or watching a documentary

    Paolo: The Laramie Project is about people, is about us. Is about your home town and its people, from the neighbour who asks you for glass of milk to the police officer who gave you a ticket for having parked your car on double yellow line.

    Do you think that the Laramie Project will resonate with the UK public?
    K: I hope that this play will stay with the people who come to see it and I hope that they will pass on their thoughts and feelings about the play and about the major issues that are still prominent within our society.
    S: Absolutely. The play is about hate crimes and there are many worldwide motivated by sexuality, beliefs, what people look like. The list goes on !
    I think the play will resonate with any parent as well. I am a mother of a five year old boy. I cannot imagine what the parents of Matthew went through. In fact you hear his Father’s actual words at the end of the play when he is in court making a statement. I will be very surprised if there are dry eyes at the end of show !

    P: I believe it will, it’s a play for everybody and so whether you agree with the general moral of the play or not it is a great piece of entertainment worth watching, it will make you think and feel. Brits love that 😉

    Why is it such a powerful story?
    K: A young man was killed by two other boys who were the same age as him and knew him. There are murders every day of this kind and worse. The ‘story’ is not important, the act itself is the most important thing, we are doing terrible things on a day to day basis and the killing of Matthew Shepard was one of many.
    P: Because you are taken on a journey with the people of this small Wyoming town, Laramie, feel love with them, feel anger, sadness and joy with them; you will laugh and cry and that’s why the Laramie project is such a powerful story.
    Why is it important to do a play like the Laramie Project?
    P: Like Moises Kaufman once said, this wasn’t the only hate crime ever committed in America, or in the entire world, but the Tectonic Theatre Project chose this particular tragic event. It got involved in so many different aspects and changed so many lives, starting from the people who were involved, the people of Laramie, and consequently the whole nation because of Fred Phelps and the media etcetera … that it had to be told. People had to know. Not only because hate crime is wrong, but people had to understand and still have to understand how the death of one person can affect other’s lives, minds and beliefs.

    What’s the most touching thing about the film and play?
    K: The fact that what’s written in the play is the complete truth. People aren’t going to be sitting in the theatre thinking ‘ blah, blah, blah, lines, lines, lines’, they will be (hopefully) listening closely to what’s being said because what’s being said is what real people have said after a horrific event that shook their town. That is the most touching and important aspect of the play I believe.

    S: The play : Dennis Shepard’s (Matthew’s father) court room speech. He advocates life to the people that have murdered his son, against his gut feeling.

    What is touching about both Matthew Shepherd’s parents is that they have fought endlessly since Matthew’s death to stop hate crimes and to stop prejudices about gay people, with people like Ellen de Generes and Elton John. And in April 2013, Barack Obama passed a hate crime bill with Judy Shepherd (Matthew’s Mother.)

    P: You’ll have to come and see it so YOU can tell us what that is!

    Does the film and play differ?
    S: We make sure, as actors we don’t watch the films associated with any of our productions as we don’t want to copy or emulate any parts. We gather the source material ourselves and make our own versions of the characters.

    Do you think the minds of people like the Westboro Baptist Church will ever be changed?
    K: No. They will only ever struggle with their own beliefs and the conflicts created by them and those who oppose them will push them further into believing whatever it is they believe.

    S: Some people when they have their minds made up, there is nothing you can do to change it. It is just very sad to see that there are people in this world that are so full of hate.
    Fred Phelps hates Jews, Catholics, he hates Barack Obama.
    But underneath it all, he hates himself the most.

    P: I don’t think it will. I don’t expect them to change their beliefs anyway. It’s their religion and they are free to believe in what they want. What I hope is that they understand we have our beliefs too and there are no reasons why they should hate us because of that. That is unnecessary.

    The Laramie Project is in Brighton at the Nightingale Theatre Brighton

    Dates: 14th- 18th December 2013, nightly at 8pm
    Where: Nightingale Theatre Brighton BN1 3PA
    Tickets: £10.50/8.50
    Buy online: www.actbrighton/whatson.php
    Phone: 01273 818266

  • Glee Boys Get Semi Naked With Adam Lambert and Demi Lovato

    An all new episode of Glee goes jungle for Katy Perry’s Roar & Lady Gaga’s Applause as cast mates welcome Adam Lambert and Demi Lovato and get semi nude in loincloths.

    Producers of the show are pulling out all the stops as most of the male cast of Glee goes semi naked for a Lady Gaga and Katy Perry special.

    The episode also sees the cast welcome American Idol star Adam Lambert and Demi Lovato.

    Chord Overstreet looked pumped for his performance of Gaga’s Applause…

    Special guest Adam Lambert, lights up the screen with his smile, guesting on vocals for Roar along with Demi Lovato and the rest of the Glee cast.

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Passing By, Tristan Bates Theatre

    ★★★ | Passing By, Tristan Bates Theatre

    ‘Passing By’ is an early work from award winning playwright Martin Sherman (Bent, Mrs Henderson Presents) that was first produced in New York in 1974. In terms of theatrical history, this play was hugely significant.

    Rather than being a play about homosexuality itself, where gay people were portrayed only as being tortured and struggling with life, this play is a romantic comedy where the characters just happen to be gay men. This was ground breaking stuff for the era it was written in.

    Toby (Rik Makarem) is a hypochondriac artist about to leave New York for a sabbatical in France and Simon (James Cartwright) is a diver, visiting New York to apply for a job as a sports reporter. The pair meet up, sleep together and then experience a bout of acute hepatitis which brings them together in spite of their differences in temperament.

    It’s a sweet play and is touching in parts but for me, the humour felt a little dated at times with a sit-com feel to it and some of the comedic moments seemed to fall slightly flat with the audience. The staging was superb with a clever set which captured the early 1970’s period well and made good use of the intimate space of the Tristan Bates Theatre but at times the acting felt almost too exaggerated for such a small space with slap-stick humour which again failed to fully deliver.

    Overall, I’d say this is a play which is worth seeing as a diversionary period piece and as an example of an early work from a fantastic pioneering playwright who has contributed a huge amount to modern theatre.

    You can catch ‘Passing By’ at the Tristan Bates Theatre until the 30th of November 2013

    Buy tickets here: http://www.tristanbatestheatre.co.uk/passing_by.asp

  • THEATRE REVIEW | A Christmas Carol – Sheffield Lyceum and National Tour

    ★★★★ | A Christmas Carol – Sheffield Lyceum and National Tour

    Charles Dickens’ much loved Christmas tale is stunningly brought to life in this magical, colourful and beautifully performed ballet from the Northern Ballet Company.

    Ebenezer Scrooge is the meanest, grumpiest man in London, who is obsessed by money and greed, shows no love for his fellow man and has no Christmas spirit. One Christmas Eve, he is visited by the ghost of his late business partner, Jacob Marley, and subsequently by the ghosts of Christmas past, future and present. Scrooge is shown how his meanness lost him his true love in the past, how his miserly ways impact on those around him in the present and how he will not be missed in the future. But can the ghostly apparitions show Scrooge it’s never too late to mend his ways?

    This festive treat was a feast for the eyes and ears. A live orchestra played beautifully throughout the three act ballet and filled the theatre with the sounds of Christmas. The set lovingly recreated Victorian London and, despite its detail was well utilised and versatile throughout the show. The company added an unexpected twist to the proceedings with a few traditional carols sung by the company on stage, with their voices carrying an uplifting and almost angelic feel.

    The costumes were simply stunning with everything from Victorian dress coats and bonnets to beautiful dresses. The whole presentation oozed class and charm. But the costumes which particularly excelled were those of The Ghosts of Christmas. The Ghost of Christmas Future in particular was amazing, with the spirit gliding across the stage in a sinister mixture of floating fabrics and exposed skeletal bones.

    The staging of the production was of a very high quality, with not only the stage being well decorated and presented, but also being lit incredibly well, with a myriad of theatrical techniques which combined to present and atmospheric and versatile stage. Ghosts floated effortlessly in the darkness and a host of spectres filled the foggy stage. Visually, the piece was impressively put together.

    The choreography of the piece was very well done and told the (albeit well known) story incredibly well making it accessible to even a ballet novice. During the course of the show, the dancing went from set pieces awash with dancers to solo and duet pieces. When dancing together, the company were well timed and graceful and at times there was so much going off on stage that it was sometimes difficult to know where to look as you simply didn’t want to miss anything of interest. The dancers ably conveyed the emotions of the characters amongst their agile performances. The very large cast were all of a very high standard and singling any of them out would be a very difficult task, but Sebastian Loe who played Scrooge put in a flawless performance, pouring emotion into his role and effortlessly conveying the progression of the character.

    Having seen this production, there is little wonder why, when it comes to quality, Northern Ballet maintain the reputation that they have. The production was one which was very accessible and was a light and breezy ballet littered with subtle humour. If you have never seen a ballet before, this is an excellent starting point. The festive feel of the piece, especially at the end of the show was overwhelming and you could not help but get swept up in the festive spirit and the joyful feeling of the characters on stage. The show is a perfect way to start getting into the Christmas spirit or a great post gift shopping treat which leaves you feeling warm inside.

    A Christmas Carol is currently showing at the Sheffield Lyceum Theatre before continuing on its national Tour.
    Bookings and information can be found at http://www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk/event/a-christmas-carol-13/?tab=1#unit-production-dates and at http://northernballet.com/index.php?q=a-christmas-carol

  • OPINION | The Hairy Grey Gay

    So, here’s the deal…..you’re ageing, bits aren’t working the way they used to and then nature plays the cruellest of jokes on you – you go bald on top only to have hair grow “elsewhere”!

    As your thatch thins, your ears suddenly become playgrounds for what can only be described as industrial strength pubic hair! As if that wasn’t bad enough, you start to notice the odd (very odd) hair on your shoulder, sprouting on your neck well below your beard line, even on your ear lobe! Ok, that last one may be just me but you get the picture. I can’t be the only one with feet like an ageing Hobbit?

    So why is it we grow bald in some places and still grow hair in others? And how much does it affect our confidence as we age – already a dodgy area even if you’re not gay!

    The whole area of us growing hair is a strange subject – we’re born with some, it can change colour as we grow, it appears in places during puberty that we never had it before, it then disappears from some areas as we age and also changes colour again! Talk about keeping us entertained!

    I did a quick straw poll amongst my twitter lovelies and it appears that the majority of us “folic-ally challenged” individuals are FINE with being somewhat thin on top. Luckily fashions change and we are no longer seen as thugs or skinheads if we shave our heads.

    One of my favourite signs in Manchester of recent times offered scalp pigmentation as an option to losing your hair. This reminds me of the old “hair in a can” stuff that used to be available – and maybe still is?

    It sounds like someone comes along with a can of whatever colour your remaining hair is and either sprays your head or slaps some paint on it! It smacks of desperation, but that’s my own opinion, maybe I’d feel differently if I wasn’t happy with the bald look!

    Recent fashions have encouraged beards, moustaches, shaved heads, the most severe partings possible (even shaving them in) so it seems anything goes and for all ages too. No need to feel left out of the fashion loop if you’re 39 and 12 months…..however, maybe ask Santa for one of those lovely nasal hair trimmers – they work wonders and can take care of those tricky little buggers growing in your ears, nose or elsewhere…

     

     

    Opinions expressed in this article may not reflect those of THEGAYUK, its management or editorial teams. If you’d like to comment or write a comment, opinion or blog piece, please click here.

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