When you think of the Wartime romances, the stories of gay veterans is often overlooked. The musical Yank! is about to set that right.
CREDIT: Yank!
YANK! is a moving gay love story set in World War Two, is told through a MGM-style musical. The focus is Stu, a scared Mid-Western young soldier in the US Army in 1943. He becomes a photographer for Yank Magazine, the journal ‘for and by the servicemen’. He finds himself in a world at war asking himself what it means to be a man. He also happens to fall in love, with Mitch, a fellow soldier.
The musical opens at the Hope Mill Theatre in London from 9th March until the 8th April, tickets are on sale now.
Yank! will be directed by James Baker, and co-produced with Ben Millerman from Mr Millerman Presents. Completing the creative team for YANK! are James Cleeve as musical director; choreographer Chris Cuming; designer Victoria Hinton; lighting designer Aaron J. Dootson; sound designer Chris Bogg; and casting director Ben Newsome.
YANK! is the first in a hat-trick of productions for 2017 through a proven partnership between Aria Entertainment and the award-winning Hope Mill Theatre. They first joined forces in January 2016 to spearhead the arts venue as a platform to showcase, revive and bring new musical theatre to the North.
Aria Entertainment’s Producer and Company Director Katy Lipson commented,
“We are delighted to be opening our 2017 season with the European Premiere of the beautiful new musical YANK! I discovered YANK! almost three years ago and, after starting to collaborate with Hope Mill Theatre in 2016, I knew it was the perfect venue for its premiere – and that James Baker who directed Parade last year would also be the right director for production. We are extremely excited with all we have planned for 2017 and beyond.”
Find out more from the show by checking out their Twitter
Olly Murs, is one of the sexiest fellas on the planet, so when he uploads something that’s pretty naked, naturally we take note. Except for this time round, we’re not sure what to think.
Olly Murs is wearing the world’s smallest kilt actually, it’s a posing pouch (we’re not ones to quibble). He recently had two sold out shows in Scotland and celebrated by shaking his thang for his fans on Instagram
As my quest for Mr right continues, I’m keeping an open mind when it comes to ways of discovering just where the bloody hell he is. Because right now, he is completely UTL. Does Mr right even exist? Is there really such a thing? Bugger me, I’m procrastinating and counselling myself as I write this column.
So, as I sip on an ice cold glass of Sauvignon in an empty gay pub in the heart of Uxbridge, (no wonder it’s empty, it’s Uxbridge!) I overhear some rather slutty looking queens talking about a sauna in Soho. And they say it’s such a great place to meet men. My ears prick up like a cat’s tail when they’re after a mouse.
Wonderful, I think to myself, that’s where I can meet the man of my dreams, m Mr right, the man I’m meant to share my living days with; in a sauna.
As I walk into the entrance of this sauna, I find it’s very dark. Cor, my old apple pies ain’t the best in daylight, let alone in this dimly lit setting.
Luckily I’ve got my contact lenses in so it’s only the darkness I have to contend with. I’m so excited for my sauna experience. I think to myself, even if I don’t meet a man, it’s still going to be a relaxing and rejuvenating evening.
I enter the locker rooms and see men walking around in their birthday suits. I go into a sheer panic.
I don’t think I can walk around in mine. I grab a rescue remedy pastille from my Superdry bag and suck on it. I need it to calm my nerves. I’ve always got pills in my bag for any eventuality. My friends call me a walking pharmacy. If you’ve got the sh*ts, a bad head, feeling sick or you just need a vitamin boost, I’ve got the solution.
After sucking on my pastille for a few moments and giving myself a good old slap round my Botox-ed boat race, I decide that I’m a young, attractive gay boy and I can walk around naked! And I thank god I stuck to my New Year’s resolution of swimming. I’ve got biceps that would make Tom Daley swoon. So I whip off my clothes and open the door.
Once in the sauna, I see a man’s genitalia, practically starring me in the eye. He is naked with a boner, in this sauna. What a saucy minx, I think.
We are practically eye to eye and I’m talking the eye on my face and his special downstairs eye. Cor, I bet that hurts, I find myself thinking. He winks at me. With the eye on his face, I’d just like to point out. I shyly say hello. He just shakes his head to the left and walks off into a locker. Well, it looks like a locker. It’s got a black bench in it that looks like a bed.
Maybe he’s feeling sleepy. F*cking rude, though, I think. What was the point of winking at me? And then just walking off. I shouldn’t be too judgemental, though, maybe he’s got a nervous twitch.
I decide that I should find the jacuzzi. Oh yes, that’d be bloody lovely. A warm bubbly bath to soothe my achy muscles after a 70 length breaststroke marathon in the pool. I see two old men sitting in the jacuzzi, I mean they must be at least 75. I see a walking stick hanging from one of the hooks. Bless them, I find myself thinking. At least they still get out the house and look after themselves. I smile at them as I get in, which as you will discover, was my downfall.
As I sit my naked body down in the jacuzzi, the two geriatrics grin at me with their false gnashers. I mean, I don’t know that they’ve got false ones, I’m just being ageist. I lay back and close my eyes, enjoying the bubbles fizzing around me. Cor, I suddenly feel bubbles bubbling quite ferociously around my man bits. As I start to feel slightly aroused from jacuzzi fizz, I put my hand down to check it’s not being fizzed away from my pubic bone. And my lord, I get a shock.
My hand bumps into another hand and as I look up, I see the geriatric grinning at me, a full display of false Steradent cleaned gnashers glistening in my apple pies. At least his false teeth aren’t stained, I think to myself. So it could be worse.
He has got his bloody hand on my penis. The dirty old perve. I’m old enough to be his great grandson. I protest and start to pull away but he grabs my leg and pulls me towards him. Cor, he’s strong for an old bugger.
“Now, I’m not really interested!” I start to protest.
“Oh come on! Make an old man happy!” He seedily says.
“No, I will not!”
Well, as I went to get up from the jacuzzi, he pulled me towards him so fast that I slip off the seat, screaming as I go and my head slips under the water. And I can still feel the bloody old bugger’s hand on my manhood. But right now, I’m more annoyed that my whole head and hair are under the water and wet. I finally manage to pull myself from his grip and I storm out the jacuzzi. And out of the sauna. I don’t think this is the right place to look for love…
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.
It goes without saying if you’re going to be spending a long, long time in space (which is where Passengers is set) thinking you’re on your own, you’d spend a lot of it naked. Wouldn’t you?
I mean what’s the point of dressing up? Just as long as you have an apron for hot oil splashes for the fry up and the heating’s ramped up. What’s the point of wearing anything? It seems as though Chris Pratt spent a lot of time naked in Passengers – something for which we’re not apologising for hitting play, pause rewind on…
The lives of three women are told in the beautifully acted new film ‘Certain Women.’
Three women all lead totally separate lives from each other, yet their lives become slightly intertwined. First there is lawyer Laura (Laura Dern). Her client, Fuller (Jared Harris), is disgruntled because he is not able to work anymore due to an injury caused at work, and he can’t sue the company because he has already received a small settlement. So it’s up to Laura to deal with him and his reckless behaviour that eventually leads to a hostage situation and standoff with police. Laura is having an affair with Ryan (James Le Gros), who happens to be the husband of Gina (Michelle Williams). Ryan and Gina are building a new house in the countryside and they need sandstone, so they visit a local man who has a pile of it in his front yard. Yet while they are building their new home together, they don’t appear to be totally happy. In fact, Ryan always seems to undermine her in front of their daughter, while Gina is just Gina going through the motions. The best is yet to come in the third story. Jamie (Lily Gladstone) is a ranch hand who lives on a farm. She appears to be very lonely until one day she decides to walk into an adult education class taught by young lawyer Beth (Kristen Stewart). They start eating together after class but Beth always has to cut it short because she’s got a four hour drive home. Their after class get togethers are misinterpreted by Jamie because she is falling for Beth, and she’s not sure Beth feels the same. Beth, meanwhile, happens to work at Laura’s firm. Hence the intersection of the lives of these three certain women.
‘Certain Women’ is a simple, quiet film, one where the acting takes center stage. Gladstone is the standout – her Jamie is painfully alone, and all she wants is for someone to be with. Williams has a quiet yet powerful role as a woman who doesn’t appear to be totally happy in life yet soldiers on. Dern has a meaty role as the lawyer who has to deal with a volatile client. It’s Stewart who brings it all down a notch. Using her typical acting style (she always seems to be playing herself), she doesn’t add any energy or likability to her Beth. Written and directed by Kelly Reichardt, ‘Certain Women,’ based on several short stories, is particularly aimed at a female audience, an audience who can appreciate and relate to the strong female characters in this film.
In an interview with THEGAYUK creative director William Baker spoke about how some labels are driving him mad.
CREDIT: PR Supplied
Speaking frankly, the genius behind Kylie’s look, William Baker said that the preoccupation in the dating app age with who is bottom and top was really bad for us.
He told THEGAYUK.com
“I just have this thing about labels, I just think they’re so bad.
“It’s like this whole top and bottom thing. Who the f*ck?
“It drives me mad”.
Talking more generally about dating and sexual role preference the author and creative director said “surely it just depends” on the situation and the person.
Speaking about his latest project Book of Igor, a photo book of beautiful, thoughtful photos of a 20-year-old man called Igor, whom he found on Instagram, the conversation turned to age and ageism.
“Such a big part of doing the book was how I felt. I can say this now, from a distance about how I felt as a gay man at 40. It’s so funny that you literally just become invisible overnight.
“Probably to the wrong people…”
The book, which was released in December, explores the beauty of youth through a series of candid shots of William’s muse, Igor. William followed Igor, who identifies as heterosexual, for over a year, forming a strong friendship with the 20-year-old, but also found an even stronger love from behind the lens.
British Transport Police is searching for four men in connection with an assault in which two boyfriends were attacked.
British Transport Police would like to make a connection with four men after two boyfriends reported that they were attacked on a train in London. The incident happened at around 1.05am on 15 February on the Reading to London Paddington service, just before the train stopped at Ealing Broadway.
The victims, a 35-year-old man and a 26-year-old man were travelling home following a night out for Valentine’s Day. They both fell asleep and missed their stop. When they woke up, as the train was approaching Ealing Broadway, they found they were being attacked.
Police say a group of men were punching and kicking them repeatedly.
The victims attempted to get away but the offenders followed and continued to attack them during a prolonged assault.
Investigating officer, PC Peter Taylor, said,
“This was a very nasty assault committed by a group of men who attacked two other men while they were sleeping on the train. The victims believe the motivation for the attack was that the offenders thought they were gay.
“Hate crime such as this will absolutely not be tolerated by British Transport Police. I would like to speak to anyone who recognises the men shown in the CCTV images as they may have information which could help with the investigation.
“If you recognise them or have any other information about the incident, please contact me by calling 0800 40 50 40 or text information to 61016 quoting reference number 30 15/2/17.”
If you’re looking for natural ways to give yourself a powerful boner you may not need to look further than your kitchen’s fruit bowl.
Fruit is cheap. Cheaper than meds and far healthier for your body. Getting your five or ten portions of fruit and veg is tough, but knowing that some of these natural beauts are actually penis builders we’re suddenly interested!
Watermelon
Watermelon is packed with Vitamin C – and Vitamin C can improve your sperm count but it’s also packed with phytonutrients lycopene, beta-carotene, and, the big one, citrulline. Citrulline is particularly good at getting your blood vessels to relax, so could be fantastic for erectile dysfunction.
Strawberries
Strawberries are an excellent source of vitamin B, which has been linked to high sperm counts in men. Go one step further and coat them in chocolate, as it is full of libido-boosting methylxanthines! (Why do you think it’s such a popular Valentine’s Day gift?!)
Figs
These small fruits pack some big benefits. They are bursting with calcium, iron, potassium, and more of that stimulating zinc. They are also packed with fibre, which boosts heart health and satisfies hunger without adding to your waistline. Check out our Figgy Lavender Pudding recipe.
Pineapple
Pineapple contains the enzyme Bromelain, which can improve libido in men, plus if you eat plenty of this tropical fruit it will also make your climax taste better too! Find out what else can make your man mayo taste better.
Pomegranate
A study from the University of California found that one glass of Pomegranate juice every day could help manage erectile dysfunction. Nearly 50 per cent of those tested reported improvements with their erections.
Banana
Bananas are packed with potassium, great for heart and circulation + a great way to manage and control your blood pressure naturally.
Blueberries
THEGAYUK’s food editor Jordan Lohan calls blueberries nature’s very own little blue bill. He says, “literally little blue “pills”! Lowering cholesterol improving blood flow & circulation, leading to harder erections”. Check out Jordan’s ultimate Romance Rescue Remedy recipe.
Exit Strategies (…or rubbish my ex-partners have told me)
Extricating yourself from a relationship isn’t easy. We’ve all been there; watching a once-promising union limping sadly towards the end, trying to fan the fire of a lukewarm love life or just living through that daily battle of trying not to slip a pinch of Arsenic into his latte. I’ve been through a few relationship breakdowns and my behaviour can be charted somewhere on a continuum that ranges from psychopathic maniac to saintly martyr. One thing I wish though is that my ex-partners had sometimes been more truthful.
Here are my top 5 pieces of crap which have been uttered to me over the past 20 years:
1) It’s not you, it’s me: This one is a total classic and is invariably nonsense. Of course, it was me too. I made that remark about your mother, didn’t put out as often as you wanted and was often snippy and critical. Yes, you were pretty dire at times and those nasty clothes and the penchant for 80s soft rock was hard to tolerate but let’s be honest. We both played a part in causing this once quite promising future to turn post-apocalyptic.
2) I need to find myself: Seriously? How careless to mislay something so important. In my experience, this one always means ‘I need to spend time on Grindr and see what I can find within a 3-mile radius that is willing to take his pants down and lube up for me.”
3) I want an open relationship: See above. This is also often the cowardly way of saying: “I want an affair or ten and you to stay at home, ask no questions but remain totally faithful to me. If you so much as brush up against another man on the tube I’ll get all psycho on you but please don’t complain when I bring home pubic lice and my phone buzzes with texts from morning till night.”
4) I’m not sure that I’m really gay: This one was uttered by a very plausible and slightly mixed up man and got my sympathy (albeit in a puzzled way). I felt sorry for his messed up emotions. This sympathy lasted until I spotted his new Gaydar profile two weeks later in which he was seeking: ‘Young good looking versatile men who want to be pounded and give some cock back”. That’s not normally the request of someone who is feeling all hetero all of a sudden. Don’t they like fishing, football and tits? I’m not sure they’re always so keen on hard anal with another man. That desire implies leanings, to me.
5) I love you but you’re impossible to be around: If you love someone then surely being around him or her is easy or something you’ll work to be able to do. You love them and that involves you wanting to be with them however difficult they can be. This actually translates as: “I’ve finally woken up to what a nightmare you can be and realised we’re not compatible. Don’t feel bad but I now regard you in the same light as an episode of Friends. It was once endearing, funny and I kind of liked it but now it makes me wince and wonder what the hell I was thinking.”
I accept that honesty isn’t always good. We all need some sugaring of the pills from time to time but there’s dishonesty and there’s downright ridiculousness. Sometimes a pinch of honesty peppered with a smidgeon of tact is really the best policy of all.
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.
All the way from Thailand, we get a chance to speak with the author behind this year’s hottest book Denial, Deceit, Discovery. A very personal and open account of one man struggling to come to terms with his homosexuality. A book we can all relate to.
This is a very honest and open book based on your personal battle with religion and sexuality. Why did you decide to write the story for all to read?
I had always planned to be a writer but did not have the time or the ideas to make a start. After being requested to provide a written statement to support my annulment I realised that my story could help so many others. I had felt incredibly alone during my struggle of accepting my sexuality. I wanted to feel like I could help at least one other person to avoid that same feeling. Knowing someone else has or is experiencing the same feelings or thoughts as you is incredibly comforting. I also felt that there was no other book out there like this – most memoirs hold back – I wanted it to be as raw and honest as possible.
Was it a struggle at times to relive some events during the writing process?
It was incredibly cathartic writing the book. It really made me face up to all those feelings, emotions and experiences I had gone through and yet had boxed away neatly in my head. Open up these boxes was very upsetting but so necessary in helping me to truly accept myself, my past and therefore move forward finally. Writing is such a healer and similar to therapy. It is not until we verbalise (either in words or print) that we truly start to understand and accept our emotions.
How did your family feel about you writing such an honest book, especially with it being, firstly very truthful and secondly quite erotic in places?
Many of my friends and family were extremely supportive and it was from their feedback that I continued to write at times when I contemplated stopping. It was a little embarrassing for me knowing that my Aunt or cousins or sister etc were reading about my sexual encounters and I am sure it was a little uncomfortable for them too. Some of my friends and family, including my mother have decided not to read it and that is fine with me. I was quite impressed my father read the book – it is the first book he has ever read so that is flattering! I have not been able to look him in the eye ever since though hahaha.
Was there any censorship looking back?
To be honest – not really! I obviously censored the names of people and sometimes altered locations – just to spare the blushes of others really. I did remove one or two scenes in the final draft to protect myself from criticism.
What percentage of the book is based on your own experiences and how much was fictional?
Haha that depends who is asking me the question. If my mothers asks, I would say 80% is fictional. I tried to make the character of Jack as relatable as possible and I think there is a little bit of Jack in all of us. The events are all based on my own experiences but the time frames have been altered occasionally to help with the flow (blushing now!!!).
Has writing the book been a detoxing experience?
When I came out I thought, ‘That’s it! All done – I can now start living as a gay man.’ I was so wrong. I had told people I was gay but I myself had not accepted it. I had gone through an incredibly traumatic experience – breaking up with a long term partner and I think I failed to acknowledge that. On reflection I think I ran away to Thailand rather than face up to what I had done. This was why my first gay relationship was not a success. Writing the book forced me into accepting the things I had done in the past and helped me to understand who I was and why I was this way. I accepted the blame for my mistakes and forgave myself for my wrong doings and this enabled me to move on with a less heavy heart.
Do you see much of your family or past?
I am very fortunate that my work allows me the opportunity to return to the UK many times a year so I see my family frequently. There are no issues with my family at all – they are all very accepting of sexuality and are happy for me. There are occasions when I am out shopping in the UK and I see an old school friend and they ask how my wife is etc and that is a little awkward to say the least!
Was there a specific audience in mind when you wrote the book? Would you hope it would also help others to realise their true selves?
I guess when I started the book I was thinking of other gay men who may have or were living a similar life. This was because I really wanted to help others. I have had some great messages from readers saying that the book has really changed their life which is so rewarding. I also thought the book might help the families or friends or gay guys understand the complexity of homosexuality and therefore be less judgemental in their views. I had not realised that so many straight women would love the book so much. This group make up a huge percentage of my readers. I think they connect with some of the other themes that are in the book – relationships, break-ups, friendship, family, growing up etc. I have even had a few straight guys tell me that the book has had a profound impact on them because they picked up the message about being true to yourself though not necessarily about sexuality.
Are you still living in Thailand with your partner?
Yes I am still living in Thailand and my partner and I are now married and enjoying a wonderful life together. I cannot face the thought of the British weather so for now I am staying here and making the most of the sun and the sandy beaches.
For others struggling with their sexuality would you have a few words of advice?
First of all I would never tell someone what to do. I think we have to remember that we all come from different family backgrounds, religions and cultures. Just because my family accepted me does not mean I would tell another person that they must be honest and come out now. I think some openly gay people forget this and criticise those struggling to come out.
The most important things I would want to say is that they are not alone and that thousands of men experience the same emotions and feelings. I would want to help them to recognise and understand and essentially accept their feelings. That is the hardest part. These feelings may never have been discussed and so the confusion that they cause is tremendous and this leads to denial that has to be carefully unpacked. I would encourage a person to be true to themselves and to remember that it is their life and theirs alone and they have the right to live it as they want. But ultimately, we may not have a choice about our sexuality but we do have a choice about what we do about it. Each person has the right to make their own choice. I would discourage someone though from bringing another person into the situation without being fully aware i.e. a man who decides he prefers to marry a woman. I think this is a cruel thing to knowingly do this to a woman after I have personally seen the trauma it causes.
Is there a sequel to come?
Mmmmm I am not sure that people want a sequel to this – do they?!? I don’t think we have seen the last of Jack but for now I am exploring other genres and styles of writing. But never say never!!
Denial, Deceit, Discovery is available now in paperback and kindle editions from Amazon
Are you fed up of your unruly beard? Maybe you want to soften dry, flaky skin? Or take the frizz out of your man locks? I am pleased to tell you I have found the answer to all of your predicaments in one simple, essential product!
Jack Black Epic Moisture MP 10 Nourishing Oil is a hair frizz tamer, shaving oil, dry skin soother and beard conditioner in one. “A true multi-tasking hydration hero” they say, and I agree! I have yet to test the rest of the Jack Black range but it is deffo on my list!
Jack Black Epic Moisture Oil has a lightweight texture and a concentrated blend of natural oils like Argan Oil, Olive Fruit Oil, Grape Seed Oil, Jojoba Oil and Rice Brain Oil. No parabens, sulphates or phthalates ensures you know your leaving your hair and skin in good hands. If I had to fault the product the only thing I would say is that I wish the scent were a little zestier. I know first world problems, right?
I use this every day as part of my beauty regime! I’d rub a couple pumps of this miracle oil into the palms of my hands and massage into my beard down to the skin. Any excess I’m left with in my hands I gently run through my hair for a finished glossy look. I do love to look Hollywood glam, even if I’m just getting ready for a night in with cookies, a cuppa and Big Brother.
A Final Note
Jack Black Epic Moisture MP 10 Nourishing Oil is priced at £27.50 for 60ml and is available from www.amazon.co.uk
