THEGAYUK

Search results for: “ ”

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Beautiful: The Carole King Musical – National Tour

    ★★★★☆ | Beautiful: The Carole King Musical


    During the 1960’s Carole King was part of one of the most successful songwriting partnerships of the era, writing hits for The Shirelles, The Drifters and Little Eva; leading to success with songs including “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow”, “The Loco-Motion”, “(You Make Me Feel Like) a Natural Woman”, “You’ve Got A Friend” and “I Feel The Earth Move”.  But behind the success was a personal struggle for King in trying to make her marriage with Gerry Goffin, her philandering husband and song writing partner, work; and it is her rise to the top and her troubled home life which form the backbone of the story for this musical biopic.

    Beautiful really stands apart from the usual jukebox musical/musical biopics, given the quality of the writing, presentation and performances. The narrative absorbs you straightaway; and there is an abundance of instantly likeable characters, a wonderfully sharp script filled with warmth, humour and personality and a lighting design which really does bring the stage to life, making it feel bright, bubbly and brimming with energy.

    But the quality was not reserved only for the look of the piece, but extends to its rather talented cast members. Bronte Barbe was delightfully charismatic as Carole King, projecting a powerful voice without ever having to force a note; and exuding a natural and believable on-stage chemistry with Kane Oliver Parry as King’s husband, Gerry Goffin. Amy Ellen Richardson and Matthew Gonsalves bounced off each other nicely as the bickering Weil and Mann; and the entire cast, including the ensemble, all stepped up the plate in terms of their vocals, alongside some incredibly competent acting, giving rise to very believable performances across the board.

    The first act, detailing King’s success within the music industry, brings with it a barrage of 17 musical numbers which are performed with flair and vigour; whilst the second act is slightly more downbeat and more drama focussed, as the decline of King’s marriage and her growth into a solo artist are depicted.

    Although you may not have heard of Carole King, her music is embedded into popular culture, and with the number of songs that you immediately recognise adorning the stage, you realise just how much of an influential songwriter King really was. Ultimately, this is a story of love, hope and determination, and a production which rises above the usual jukebox musicals with a set of strong central performances, in particularly Bronte, and a polished, professional and quality feel.

    Beautiful is at the Sheffield Lyceum Theatre until Saturday 10th February 2018. For details and tickets visit www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk.

    The show then continues on its national tour until 23 June 2018. Click here to book tickets.

  • Is it safe for LGBT+ to travel to Bermuda?

    Is it safe for LGBT+ to travel to Bermuda?

    Despite the repeal of same-sex marriage, Bermuda is relatively safe for LGBT+ travellers.

    skeeze / Pixabay

    Firstly, we have to point out that in Bermuda it is legal to gay and lesbian. However, LGBT+ residents and visitors may still find that the people and its governance are still quite conservative.

    It is illegal to discriminate on the basis of sexuality in Bermuda, but not on the basis of gender identity.

    Up until February 2018, Bermudan same-sex couples had the right to marry. A law was passed in December 2017 effectively replaced same-sex marriage with domestic partnerships. It was given Royal Assent on the 7th February.

    When Bermudan people were given a referendum on the issue of same-sex marriage, it was overwhelmingly voted against.

    So is it safe for LGBT+ people to travel and visit Bermuda?  By and large yes, although due to its conservative nature, LGBT+ people might find it uncomfortable to show public displays of affection.

    Crime rates against LGBT+ people seem to be low.

    Please note, there is not an equal age of consent – and the law is different to the UK for gay and bisexual males. Gay and bisexual men must be older than 18-years-old.

    The UK Government’s travel advice for LGBT+ people says, “Homosexuality became legal under Bermuda law in 1994, and in 2017 the Supreme Court of Bermuda ruled that same-sex couples have a legal right to marry (now out of date). Attitudes to homosexuality are tolerant but conservative, and some people may not approve of public displays of affection between same-sex couples. See our information and advice page for the LGBT community before you travel.”

    In our opinion, yes it is safe to travel to Bermuda if you’re lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender.

  • Bermuda becomes first nation on earth to repeal same-sex marriage

    In a first, Bermuda officially moved toward abolishing same-sex marriage by approving a bill Wednesday despite a supreme court ruling that legalized gay couple marriage in May 2017. Merely eight … (more…)

  • OPINION | It may not be an obligation to learn LGBT history, but you really should

    OPINION | It may not be an obligation to learn LGBT history, but you really should

    Next year sees the 50th anniversary of The Stonewall Riots, which I’ve written about before here, yet still, there are some people out there who feel that the younger generation doesn’t need to care about the violent history of struggling for gay rights because they are too busy having a good time.

    “What they fail to understand is that they can have that “good time” because of countless LGBT+ men and women who have lived through hell and to this day still fight to protect the rights of the community.”

    Having a fluff piece opinion that completely misses the point of what Pride stands for is utterly disgraceful. And it saddens me that people who are only a few years younger than me have absolutely no clue about why that is. I have a huge amount of respect for the generations that gave me the rights I have today, and I also understand exactly why they would get angry at a group of gays who don’t show that level of respect or a willingness to learn about their own community’s history.

    They aren’t asking anyone to know every tiny little detail about gay history, but a basic knowledge of the big events certainly wouldn’t go amiss. Just to afford these brave men and women from all walks of life an iota of dignity and a thank you. An unsettling thing that I have been witness to, is when an older generation LGBT+ person is in a bar or club, and the younger gays either laugh at them, ignore them or worse, insult them and say they shouldn’t be there and even call them gross. We’re not asking you to hook up with them, we’re asking you to acknowledge them.

    Embed from Getty Images

    You don’t even need to make a song and dance about it, just be willing to talk to them if they talk to you. You never know, you could make a new friend. One has to remember that it was only in 1967 that homosexual acts were decriminalised in the UK. There are people alive today that lived through the fear that they could be arrested, simply for being who they are and to see younger people completely ignore that fact because they are too busy having fun must really hurt them.

    Men and women in the UK were some of the earliest to form well organised groups such as the Homosexual Law Reform Society, (founded in 1958) which surprisingly was started by many non-homosexual members, such as Sir Stephen Spender and MP Kenneth Younger and the Campaign for Homosexual Equality, an offshoot of the HLRS founded in Manchester in 1964 by more prominently homosexual people like Allan Horsfall and Colin Harvey. It was a direct result of these groups that the 1967 Sexual Offences Act was passed in the UK.

    I don’t pretend to fully understand what it was like because I didn’t live through it, but I have empathy for anyone that did and I’m always willing to be told something new. It helps me grow as a person. And you can be damn sure that next year I will be finding any events that honour and remember the events and people of Stonewall, and I’ll be there waving my rainbow flag with pride and with respect.

    “I’m not for one second saying we shouldn’t have fun, of course, we should.

    Enjoy life, go to the clubs, wear a pair of heels and a dress, sing bad karaoke, have a regrettable hookup at a Pride event, but please stop and think about why these things can be done, and learn from the past.”

    But I digress, why has this irked me so much? It seems like the social media generation has this shocking sense of entitlement, everything is very much “Me, Me, Me and Kylie Jenner” There’s such a disconnect from people, that real and horrifying events are forgotten because they weren’t a Twitter moment. But this stuff happened, and it’s time that they understood who people like Marsha P Johnson, Gilbert Baker and anyone else from that era are.

    I’m not here to belittle the people who subscribe to the social media way of thinking, it is kinda the way of the world now, but I feel that having such a selfish attitude, not only hurts them, it hurts a whole community. Now I’m not for one second saying we shouldn’t have fun, of course, we should. Enjoy life, go to the clubs, wear a pair of heels and a dress, sing bad karaoke, have a regrettable hookup at a Pride event, but please stop and think about why these things can be done, and learn from the past. There’s already this underlying feeling of separation within the community if we don’t look or act a certain way.

    We are ALL a part of this beautiful Rainbow Community, let’s treat everyone who is a part of it, or who is an ally, as a friend and learn from each other’s experiences. It’s not a crime to not know something, but it’s a wise choice to educate oneself by talking, being open and learning. It could be something that really opens your eyes to a world that you didn’t know about.

    Seek out the people who can enrich you, learn their story and tell them yours.

    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.

  • UN rights chief warns over Indonesia LGBT crackdown

    Indonesia must clamp down on rising intolerance against the LGBT community, the UN human rights chief warned Wednesday, as the persecuted minority face a wave of arrests and parliament moves to ban gay sex. (more…)

  • Black Lives Matter activist killed in New Orleans shooting

    A well-loved activist of Black Lives Matter, Muhiyidin Elamin Moye was killed in a shooting, multiple sources reveal.

    Muhiyidin Elamin Moye, 32, was shot in the thigh in New Orleans on Wednesday night and was killed. He was known for a being an activist in the Black Lives Matter movement in the US.

    According to The Hill, Moye was found on Wednesday with a gunshot wound to the thigh and was taken to hospital where he died.

    Police are now investigating the death, which has been ruled a homicide.

    The New Orleans Advocate reports that he was riding a bicycle at the time of the shoot.

    Moye became something of a sensation when he was caught on camera, during a news broadcast, jumping over a barricade in Charleston, to grab a Confederate flag from a protester in 2016.

    A GoFundMe page has already raised more than $28,000. A woman, who identified herself as Moye’s niece set up the page wrote, that Moye’s body was still in New Orleans and they were raising money to bring him back to Charleston.

    Money raised would go to a memorial service and a funeral.

     

     

  • Here’s why Anthony Rapp exposed Kevin Spacey’s alleged behaviour

    The Star Trek actor out spoke out in late 2017 about Kevin Spacey and his alleged historic behaviour, now Rapp has revealed why he did it.

    Speaking to CBS’s The Talk, Anthony Rapp revealed why he spoke up about how he says Kevin Spacey acted towards him when he was just a 14-year-old boy.

    In October, Rapp who is now 46, told Buzzfeed that he joined Spacey for a party at his Manhattan apartment saying that he was the only non-adult at the party and soon got bored. After a while, Rapp said that he wandered into the bedroom, watched TV until well past midnight. He then alleged that Spacey made “sexual advances” toward the then teenager.

    According to the report in Buzzfeed, Rapp had once approached a lawyer to discuss legal action against Spacey but was told it was not a case worth pursuing. He also stated that because of the accusations levied against Harvey Weinstein that he was “really awake to the moment that we’re living in”.

    He reinforced this by saying, “Part of what allowed the Harvey situation to occur was that there was this witting and unwitting conspiracy of silence,

    “The only way these things can continue is if there’s no attention being paid to it, if it’s getting forgotten.”

    Rapp also spoke about how he felt “dread” whilst watching the Tony Awards when Kevin Spacey was a host for the show.

    “Protect”

    The Broadway and Star Trek actor said that despite the risk he knew there were more stories about the now disgraced actor but he also wanted to “protect” people.

     

    “It was a risky thing”

    Speaking on The Talk, Rapp said,  “I knew that there were more stories so I was just hopeful that coming forward, it would encourage more people to tell the truth.”

    “I knew that it was a risky thing.

    “I knew that he was very popular and certainly a respected actor, but at the same time I knew that I was trying to protect people”.

    His statement was met with applause from the show’s live studio audience.

    What happened to Spacey after the allegation?

    Shortly after Rapp’s allegations, Netflix, the co-producers of the Spacey-fronted hit TV series, House Of Cards, confirmed that the show would continue, but without Spacey in the role of Frank Underwood. However, there was speculation that the show would be cancelled, the news was met with considerable backlash with some fans sending abuse the Rapp. However, the show will continue but with Robin Wright, who plays Clare Underwood, taking the lead.

    In January it was revealed that British police said they were investigating a man over a third sexual assault. The Press Association reported that the man was Kevin Spacey.

  • 10 things you probably didn’t know that happens if you’re diagnosed with prostate cancer

    In our latest podcast, prostate cancer survivor and information campaigner, Martin Wells revealed what happens after you are diagnosed with prostate cancer.

    1) You might not even have any symptoms.

    In our interview with him, Martin told us that he didn’t have any symptoms before he was diagnosed with prostate cancer. He actually went to his GP for a totally unrelated matter. His doctor decided to check out his prostate. Two days later Martin was called by his surgery to come in to discuss the results, which is where found out that he had prostate cancer.

    2) You don’t have to be a cis-gender man to get prostate cancer.

    Transgender Flag

    Anyone who still has their prostate gland can get prostate cancer. Trans women can be diagnosed with this type of disease. It is completely nondiscriminatory in who it affects, gay, straight, bisexual or transgender.

    3) One in 8 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime.

    There are 40,000 new cases diagnosed every year. Most people who are diagnosed are over the age of 50 – but more and more men younger than this are being diagnosed each year.

    4) Black men are twice as likely to be diagnosed. 

    One in 4 men with African-Caribbean or African descent will be diagnosed with prostate cancer. It is not known why prostate cancer affects this demographic of people more.

    5) Depending on your treatment, you could lose your ability to get self-maintained erections, but you can still have sex.

    What happens when you get prostate cancer

    Martin told us, that even though he couldn’t have sex in the same way as he had before his treatment, he learned a brand new way of being intimate with his partner. He now enjoys a more tantric approach to sex.

    6) Sex can last up to three hours.

    No more WHAM BANG THANK YOU MAN. Martin says he found that he could still have a sex life, but now lasts much longer.

    7) Depending on your treatment, you might not be able to ejaculate…

    but you can still cum. No mess… no fuss.

    8) As good as the NHS is dealing with cancer patients, it’s not perfect –

    Will the NHS help me if I get prostate cancer

    You could be misgendered if you’re transgender and those who are treating you might assume that you have a wife if you’re gay. However, once told that you’re not married or heterosexual, healthcare professionals are pretty good at making sure they don’t say it again.

    9) There’s no one to talk about the sexual repercussions of prostate cancer treatment.

    Martin found that there was no one able (or willing) to talk about getting erections or how he could have sex again after the removal of his prostate. That’s one of the reasons why he started his support group, Out With Prostate Cancer.

    10) The Prostate is a satsuma sized gland, located between the penis and bladder.

    Its function is to help in the production of semen. It produces the white fluid which is mixed with sperm created in the testicles.

    Listen to our chat with Martin Well on iTunes.

  • Sheffield man charged after train conductor allegedly subjected to homophobic abuse

    A 32-year-old man has been charged after a train worker was allegedly subjected to homophobic abuse.

    British Transport Police have said that a man was charged with a hate crime after a train conductor was allegedly subjected to homophobic abuse on Sunday 4th Feb 2018.

    The man appeared in court on the 5th Feb 2018.

    String of homophobic incidents

    There have been a number of homophobic reports in the last few months

    In early December a man allegedly abused two women, and two teenagers were arrested following an attack where a young man was forced into a headlock and told to apologise for being gay.

    In November, another man was “punched repeatedly” outside Charing Cross station, just a few hundred meters from one of London’s highest-profile gay clubs, heaven.

    In September a woman hurled homophobic abuse at two men on a train between Havant and Pulborough, with one of the victims suffering an injury after the women threw a glass jar at them.

    In September, three teenagers pleaded guilty to attacking two boyfriends on a train in Ealing. They were jailed for their attack.

     

  • 25 things we don’t do anymore because of technology

    Making mix tapes, printing photographs and sending love letters are among the tasks replaced by technology which we miss doing, a study has found.

    The poll of 2,000 adults revealed a string of once-everyday tasks which have been replaced by the rise of technology, Wi-Fi and smartphones.

    Carrying a portable CD player, owning an encyclopedia and being able to remember phone numbers of loved ones off-by-heart are also among the things that technology has made easier, but that we wish hadn’t fallen victim to the online boom.

    However, 51 percent admit they don’t miss having to queue in a post office to buy their car tax while 40 percent are glad they no longer have to buy TV listings to see what is on the box.

    The British Airways commissioned study found 58 percent of people reckon the majority of their activities now rely heavily on technology, with 54 percent of those admitting it’s important they can connect to Wi-Fi when travelling to keep them content at all times.

    To keep customers connected and to celebrate the launch of Wi-Fi on board, British Airways is partnering with Visa to connect customers on board the first W-Fi enabled flights.

    For a limited time, customers will be able to connect to high-speed Wi-Fi enjoying an hour of free browsing and streaming, courtesy of Visa.

    Customers will be able to access Wi-Fi through connectivity service .air, when they board a connected aircraft, allowing them to browse and stream from the comfort of their seat.

    Carolina Martinoli, from British Airways, said “Technology and the internet has evolved so much in recent years that tasks we once considered to be regular parts of our day are now done for us online.

    “The results show us how dependent we have become on the internet and being connected at all times – even while travelling.

    “We know how cut off people can feel if they can’t get online so, for a limited time on selected flights, British Airways customers can enjoy an hour of free browsing and streaming, courtesy of Visa, to keep them connected even when they are in the air.”

    Making a mixtape is the activity people miss doing the most followed by putting photos into an album and recording TV shows and films onto VHS.

    Having physical photos printed out and the excitement of taking in a film to be developed before you see how they came out completed the top five.

    Writing a letter came sixth, with sending love letters and postcards following close behind.

    Having a pen friend came ninth while having a CD collection was at 10.

    But it also emerged that reliance on the internet and technology has made life much easier, with 48 percent of those polled saying there is now less need to know their times tables off by heart and 43 percent don’t miss having to fax documents.

    The need to reverse charges in payphones to make a call, paying bills at the post office or in the bank and having to book tickets for events over the phone are also things people are glad to see the back of.

    The study, carried out via OnePoll.com found the average adult spends just over four hours of each day on the internet, with almost one in five admitting they are never more than a few feet away from an internet-enabled device.

    More than one in 10 admitted they would feel lost if they were unable to go online, while 26 percent would feel completely cut off.

    Two-thirds say they are often looking for Wi-Fi hotspots when they are away from home, with the average adult admitting they would struggle to last longer than seven hours without the internet before they started to feel anxious.

    The survey also found that 40 percent of Brits would use one hour of Wi-Fi to check social media, 37 percent said they would e-mail friends and family and three in 10 would read the news.

    Others would do online shopping, download and listen to music and watch catch-up TV

    Suzan Kereere, SVP, Europe Merchant and Acquiring, Visa In Europe said, “At Visa, we strive to connect the world in the most innovative, reliable and secure way.

    “To help consumers stay connected anywhere and everywhere, we are working on a wide range of connected solutions, from devices and appliances to all forms of transportation.

    “As a partner of British Airways, Visa is proud to offer complimentary Wi-Fi access for the first hour to all passengers on any BA Wi-Fi enabled plane for a limited time.

    “We want consumers to have the best possible experience when travelling and this research shows that access to the internet is key to that.”

    Top 25 things we miss but no longer do due to technology

    1. Making mix-tapes

    2. Put photos into albums

    3. Recording films and TV shows using VHS

    4. Having printed photos around the house

    5. The excitement of having photographs developed before you can see them

    6. Handwritten letters

    7. Sending love letters

    8. Sending post-cards

    9. Having pen friends

    10. Buying CDs / having a CD collection

    11. Using public telephones

    12. Using a telephone directory

    13. Carrying a portable CD player

    14. Going into the travel agents to research a holiday

    15. Buying disposable cameras

    16. Turning to a hard copy of the Yellow Pages

    17. Playing traditional board games or cards

    18. Owning an encyclopedia

    19. Dialing directory enquiries

    20. Visiting car boot sales to sell old stuff

    21. Remembering phone numbers off by heart

    22. Hand-writing essays /school work

    23. Ringing the speaking clock

    24. Trying on pairs of shoes on the high street

    25. Dialing 1471 to see who called while you were out

  • QUIZ: Can you guess which celeb said what about their own manhoods?

    A lot of celebs have spoken openly about their manhoods and what they thought of them…

    (C) VARIOUS: KathClick / BigStock /Depositphotos / Jean Nelson / Robbie Williams

    From Justin Bieber to Robbie Williams these celebs have all revealed their thoughts from size to cleanliness… How much do you know?

    <script type=”text/javascript”>
    (function(d, s, id){
    var js,
    fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],
    r = Math.floor(new Date().getTime() / 1000000);
    if (d.getElementById(id)) {return;}
    js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.async=1;
    js.src = “https://www.opinionstage.com/assets/loader.js?” + r;
    fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);
    }(document, ‘script’, ‘os-widget-jssdk’));
    </script><div class=”os_widget” data-of=”thegayuk” data-path=”/thegayuk/which-celebs-said-what-about-their-dicks” id=”os-widget-55669″></div>

     

More posts