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THEATRE REVIEW | Quentin Crisp: Naked Hope, St James Theatre, London
★★★ | Quentin Crisp: Naked Hope, St James Theatre, London
“I became one of the stately homos of England.”From a conventional middle-class Surrey upbringing to global notoriety via his autobiography “The Naked Civil Servant”, Quentin Crisp was an extraordinary raconteur and wit. This new production, making its London premiere after an Edinburgh season, shows Quentin both in his beloved but squalid Chelsea flat as the 1970s dawn, and in his final years in his adopted New York, with the new millennium beckoning.
The show draws on Quentin’s own writing and performances in a new script by Mark Farrelly, who also performs (West End credits include Who’s Afraid Of Virginia Woolf with Matthew Kelly). He is directed by the renowned Linda Marlowe, who has won awards for her own solo work such as Berkoff’s Women.
Quentin Crisp was an extraordinary character. Sharp-tongued, controversial and seemingly fearless. Born in an age when gay sex was illegal and liable to land you in prison, he embraced what he was: a flamboyant and effeminate homosexual. Facing ridicule, beatings and scorn as well as the ardour of men in the back alleys of Soho, he became a notorious character. With the publication of his autobiography and subsequent television film of this, starring John Hurt, he took infamy and his waspish wit to a much wider audience. His one-liners were legendary as were his regular television chat show appearances.Alienating the gay rights movement of the 1970s and causing furore with flippant comments about anything from AIDS being a passing fad, homosexuality being a terrible disease and his views on Princess Diana, perhaps more shockingly, the seemingly very English based institution, moved to New York and made his home there in his later years.
Farrelly’s play has strengths and weaknesses. He manages to capture some of the wit, acidity and pathos of Crisp but at times this is slightly patchy. The script is stronger in the first half when Crisp is shown alone in his London flat, addressing the audience as he postures and quips with the thin veneer showing some vulnerability beneath. Although physically much sturdier than Crisp, he does manage, mostly, to convey an essence of Crisp’s character and demeanour. The second half, where Farrelly depicts Crisp performing in New York just before his death, felt much weaker with the relentless round of bon mots becoming a bit tired and the audience participation element feeling a bit unnecessary to the show. I did, however, laugh quite a lot and it was good to be reminded of some of Crisp’s better one-liners in this well-researched show.
Quentin Crisp: Naked Hope is on at St James Theatre until the 7th of September 2014
Buy tickets here: http://www.stjamestheatre.co.uk/events/quentin-crisp-naked-hope/
The show will also be touring the U.K. from October with shows at Greenwich, Cardiff, Dundee and Hemel Hempstead.
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Kellie Maloney wants out of Celebrity Big Bro
Kellie Maloney has admitted to some of her friend housemates that she wants out of the Celebrity Big Brother to ‘face it’.
Kellie talks to James and George about her disagreement with Audley. Kellie said she asked to leave again last night and James asks her why she would do that. Kellie says that she should have been told that Audley had a ‘phobia about trans-people.’ James says: ‘I don’t think that is the case babe.’ Kellie says: ‘I was Audley’s biggest enemy in the outside world; I set out to bring him down totally in boxing. Audley tolerates me, he doesn’t accept me.’
In a conversation in tonight’s episode, Kellie talks to Dee, saying that she wants to go and doesn’t see the benefit of staying and that she wants to ‘go outside and face it.’
Later on, whilst with Edele, she has the same conversation, but Edele tells her that one purpose of Kellie staying is to raise awareness and Kellie says: ‘I’ve done that.’ Lauren comes over and says that Kellie is being silly and weak and that she is stronger than that. Audley says goodnight to Kellie and they have another hug.
Big Brother continues tonight at 9:00PM on Channel 5
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Chelsea And Ellen naked shower fight
Chelsea Handler is an American comedian, actress, best-selling author, television host, writer and producer.
She has been hosted her Award-Winning late-night talk show called Chelsea Lately on the ‘E’ Channel for some years now. This quick-witted potty-mouth very funny lady who has never ever held back at being wickedly hilarious with her very barbed comments on the most sensitive of issues, is now ending the show. In true Chelsea style she has made an outrageous video when she is naked in the shower and in a fight with lesbian superstar Ellen DeGeneres who is bitching that she was never invited to be on the show, and now it’s too late.
Stateside this YouTube video has already gone viral.Watch it and weep.
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Leslie Jordan is the second celeb to be evicted from Big Bro
Former Star of the Show Leslie left the Celebrity Big Brother House to cheers from the audience.
During his interview Emma remarked that he had “such a droopy lip” because he was evicted. Leslie suggests that it was more entertaining for the audience when he was “on my worst behaviour” joking that his 81 year old mother would probably fly over to tell him off.
Leslie said that he “was surprised” that Audley nominated him, joking about their height difference, “Do you even know I’m down here?!” He went on to say that he was “called out for eating too much” and admitted that it “never crossed my mind that I couldn’t eat what I want”, admitting he took it on board and was calmer…which didn’t work out for him!
When asked about his experience in the House, Leslie admitted “I was so naïve” and that he was advised to watch the show before going in. “I thought I was going to come in and it was going to be an endless cocktail party” he said, but goes on to describe it as like a “boot camp”
After being shown footage of him losing his temper in the House, a visibly shocked Leslie said, “That’s so hard, I could weep… that’s not me…That’s a sad little man to me” Emma suggests that it was an adjustment period and he admitted that his life is very different on the outside world, with lots of red carpet events and slapping on the back, “I couldn’t even go into the Pod without someone irritating me” he added.
Emma goes on to ask about his relationship with Frenchy and Leslie admitted “There were a lot of rituals” with her. He then goes on to discuss the time Frenchy “stomped all our food” and joked, “Little fatty likes his food!” He then said that he said “horrible things” to Frenchy but “gives her an A for effort” for trying to be nicer.
The conversation moved onto his frustrations with Gary and Leslie said “Gary, I adore now” but admitted “He’s very difficult…but another A for effort” He added that “We had real problems with his hygiene” and suggests that he must be used to someone telling him when to clean. Leslie goes on to recount his argument about CGI, likening it to “the playground”
Join Emma next Wednesday for Celebrity Big Brother’s third live eviction.
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THEATRE REVIEW | Compulsion
★★★ | Compulsion
What’s your secret? What do you do in private that you wouldn’t share with anyone? What happens if the quiet, secret compartments in our heads start to invade our consciousness? And if the curtains are torn down for all to see, could we survive? Would we adapt or die?
Tom Staunton’s a nice guy. A genuinely nice guy. A little damaged and a little quirky. Who isn’t? But his secrets and compulsions are coming to the fore in a very public way that he can’t control. The voices in his head won’t keep quiet. They have to be heard. What’s his secret? Why is it tearing him apart? Is any part of our nature as human beings too shameful for others to see?
Join Tom as we examine the dark corners of his mind. Meet the different facets of his personality that hold power over him and witness the incidents in his past that have made him who he is.
Compulsion is a darkly comic journey into one man’s sub-conscience. Tune into the noise in his mind that simultaneously tortures him and helps him to keep going. Witness the struggle of having to live with oneself.
As I arrived at the theatre, I was amazed to see an empty stage with just two actors and a chair. I knew this was going to be a true Fringe performance. As I sat down and began to cool down, I was instantly drawn in. Evidently, we were dealing with a gay man being haunted by the different elements of his subconscious. We were presented with three variations of his psyche played by Kim Maouhoub, Paul Storan and Nigel Fyfe.
We were immediately transported into Tom’s mind by the exquisite use of lighting that matched perfectly with the angst dealt Declan Cooke’s character. Kim Maouhoub, who had an air of Helena Bonham Carter, played her parts brilliantly. Each new character portrayed was performed beautifully with excellent characterization. The other two actors, Paul Storan and Nigel Fyfe were also great with real determination and emotion in their performance.
The only downside was the length; it only lasted just under 50 minutes with the majority of the time being the scene changes. An interruption which I feel could have been done better. I would have liked to have seen the play developed more and made into more of a developed narrative rather than a glimpse into his innermost thoughts. Furthermore, the LGBT themes seemed to be a bit cliché; a gay man with an abusive past that had been accused of being a paedophile. It is these clichés that I wish were avoided. Instead I would have liked to have seen a deeper dive into Tom’s mind and even perhaps not having a clear and concise answer to why he felt the way he did, however all in all an excellent and true Fringe performance.
More details in the link below:
https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/compulsionOr feel free to ‘Follow’ them on Twitter: @thecompulsion or ‘Like’ the page on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/We-Keep-You-Company-thecompulsion/533083020145519?sk=timeline
Final words: An interesting production with clichéd themes. Definitely worth a view if you’re in the area especially for Kim Maouhoub. Not bad!
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FILM REVIEW | Magic In The Moonlight
★★ | Magic In The Moonlight
Within a few minutes after the opening of this movie… Woody Allen’s 46th, and probably one of his most tedious … it is very obvious that the magic in the title refers strictly to the staged tricks created by the two leading characters and not to the film itself.
Allen’s very thin story, set in Europe some time between the two World Wars, is about a famous English professional illusionist who’s stage persona is a very crass Chinaman complete with Fu Manchu moustache (which I’m guessing that Allen must have considered was not racially offensive). Wei Ling Soo aka Stanley is recruited by his best friend Howard to unmask an American psychic who he believes is faking her way into the bosom of a wealthy American Family vacationing in their chateau on the French Riviera. Sophie is aided and abetted by her scheming mother in order to get their hands on some of their fortune and marry the gormless heir of the family.
It turns out she really is a fraud but for totally different reasons than the ones that we expect, but by the time that the pompous sarcastic Stanley has uncovered this, we have lost all interest anyway. Forget the sleight of hand tricks he plays, as its the plot that is so slight to the point of being so transparently obvious.
Cold-hearted cynical Stanley with his very unemotional fiance back in London naturally falls in love with Sophie but as she is practically 30 years younger, we are as uncomfortable about this age-inappropriate romance as Stanley awkwardly appears to be as well.
Colin Firth makes heavy going of his portrayal of Stanley, and a radiant looking Emma Stone fares little better in this very stilted script that gives neither of them much of a chance to shine. The only cast member that relieved the fast encroaching boredom was the wonderful Eileen Aitkens as Stanley’s Aunt, even though her part was very small.
Kudos though for the stunning period costumes and very glorious sets and locations which at least gave us something pretty to look at, but not enough to stop me nodding off from time to time.
P.S. Look closely in the scene set in a Jazz Club for the fleeting glance of the singer who is none other than the fabulous Ute Lemper.
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Adam Lambert And Lady Gaga Will Rock You
Lady Gaga joins Adam Lambert and Queen on the Australian leg of her tour…
Whilst on the Australian leg of her ArtRave tour Lady Gaga joined Adam Lambert and Queen to delight the audience in Sydney.
Together the pair sang, Another One Bites The Dust, afterwards Gaga took to Instagram to write, ‘Tonight I felt alive in a way I have not before. I returned to the Radio GaGa mothership to pay homage to my leaders. It was emotional and wild,’
“So much fun tonight! @ladygaga” Lambert wrote on his page.
We love that Blazer on Adam Lambert… Must get one.
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David McIntosh First Celebrity To Be Booted Out Of Big Brother
The Housemate with the fewest votes, and first to be evicted from the Celebrity Big Brother House, was David McIntosh
After hugging his fellow Housemates, David left to cheers from the crowd, before performing a dance routine for the awaiting photographers.
David told Emma he thought there would be three people leaving the House and admitted “I am a competitive man, but it doesn’t matter…I’m good” He went on to say that when he was “starved” of food in the House and it was hard to “put on a show”.
Emma then asked David what it’s like living in the House and he admits it “different” and there are many challenges. “There were three people everyone was arguing with” he said in reference to the American Housemates. David goes on to discuss Leslie and his decision to put him on the scrapheap, admitting “I got him hot under the cover!”
David talks about the “young lads” in the House and admits he “ended up spooning” Ricci a few time “out of force of habit”
David says that there “was no friction” apart from with the American Housemates, especially Gary.
After seeing a montage of some of his altercations with Gary, David admits “it was worse than that” He describes Gary as “manipulative” and Emma asks if the Housemates are not patient enough with him. David suggests that Gary’s “ridiculous, insane” stories wound people up, plus the fact they had to repeat everything three times. David adds, “He’s definitely a manipulative person…he’s playing a game. He’s an actor, but not a great actor”
Emma then asks David about Gary’s relationship with James and he says that he’s nice to Gary and tries to coach him through. When asked about James and Audely’s relationship, David says that they’re friends in the House adding, “James is not one to hold his tongue…he says what he thinks”
Before showing David his best bits, Emma tells him that “it’s been wonderful looking at you!”
Join Emma on Friday for Celebrity Big Brother’s second live eviction.
Emma then reveals that the Housemates will nominate for the first time after the show, face to face
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Rain Did Not Hamper The Gayest Sports Day Of The Year
Yesterday the GMFA held the 9th annual GMFA/RVT Sports day.
The rain and wind didn’t deter the hardcore fans of the event, which is now in its 9th year.
Matthew Hodson, CEO of GMFA said, ‘This was the ninth year of the revived GMFA / RVT Sports Day and it was the first one where we had torrential rain. Truthfully, it feels like we’ve just dodged that bullet for all these years. What was brilliant though is that the wet weather didn’t dampen the atmosphere. Moving some of the events indoors, or under the arches, and just accepting that at other times we’re going to get wet, we still managed to have a great games. And we’ve raised a few thousand pounds to support GMFA’s HIV prevention work, including our website and FS magazine, which receive no Government funding, as well as the local charities, Vauxhall City Farm and the Friends of Vauxhall Pleasure Garden.
‘I’d like to say a huge thanks to all the teams for competing so gamely, to the staff and management at the Royal Vauxhall Tavern and to the GMFA volunteers who kept the event running so smoothly, to Timberlina, Nicholas Heath and Bob Ballard for hosting and commentating on the sporting events and LaVoix for hosting the auction – and to everyone else who came along, helped to raise funds and made it such a great atmosphere.
‘We’ve finally proved that we can still have a great Gay Sports Day, even if it rains. But some sunshine next year will be greatly appreciated, all the same.’
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Zachary Quinto Watches Emmys Trouserless
One of the gay High Holy Days AKA The Emmys has arrived and many gay men around the world find themselves glued to their screens, the others are too busy just being fabulous elsewhere. However Zachary falls into the former camp.
He uploaded a picture of himself watching the Emmys as he changes in between scenes, for his new film with James Franco. He captioned the pic, ‘literally watching the emmys as i change clothes between scenes for our movie… no complaints. GO FRIENDS!!!’
Bravo. This is exactly how we watch the TV. Usually with a glass/ bottle of wine and a bowl of cheesy wotsits between our knees.
Dear Zachary, thank you for this image.