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  • THEATRE REVIEW | Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake, UK Tour

    ★★★★★ | Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake, UK Tour

    Matthew Bourne’s critically acclaimed production of Swan Lake is welcomed back to the stage on this national tour. Based on the traditional ballet, Bourne provides an updated and contemporary vision of Tchaikovsky’s masterpiece. The piece follows a young prince who is bored with his life of public duties and frustrated by his mother’s inability to truly show any affection towards him. His life escalates to the point where he contemplates suicide, but changes his mind when he appreciates the beauty and magnificence of the swans on the lake. But his saviours may also be his downfall as matters culminate in confrontation and rejection at the Grand Ball.

    Bourne’s signature contemporary twist on the classic ballet is simply outstanding and leads to a beautiful, moving and breath-taking pieces of theatre. This version is perhaps best known for using an all-male ensemble for the bevy of swans, but whilst there is no denying the dramatic impact that places on the piece, there are so many other elements which elevate this piece of dance to the dizzying heights it reaches.

    Starting with the music, the show preserves Tchaikovsky’s score and plays it beautifully, with the sound being crisp, crystal clear and loud enough to be the perfect balance of being dramatic but never intrusive. The costumes were lavish, even down to the finest details. The set was sturdily constructed and looked amazing. The use of lighting created an individual atmosphere in every single scene and an incredible use of shadows during one particular scene created a chilling environment. In essence, the whole production was of the highest quality and absolutely oozed an abundance of class and sophistication.

    From the almost monochrome opening scenes in the palatial bedchamber to the vibrant explosion of colour in the Swank Bar, the modern twists provided by Bourne provided for a fresh and vivacious production which constantly surprised and delighted in equal measures. A combination of clever nods to the source material added to the joy, for example, Bourne boldly stages a ballet within a ballet, poking some tongue in cheek fun at the romantic ballets themselves, of which Swan Lake is a prime example.

    The grace, elegance and sheer talent of the entire cast was undeniable and simply could not be faulted in any way. The infusion of different style of dance, from ballet to jazz and beyond was seamless and fitted the traditional score perfectly whilst the narrative aspect of the production was easy to follow and conveyed the story well.

    By replacing the female swans with a male ensemble, the show has been interpreted as being very homo-erotic, not least because of the relationship between the Prince and the Male Swan but the attractive cast quite rightly underplay the point, keeping the show more on the right side of sensuality as opposed to eroticism.

    From the opening scenes to the terrifying and tearful finale, this show has everything to recommend it including humour, style, spectacle, originality and genuine emotion. As a piece of theatre, it cannot be recommended highly enough.

  • OPINION: Cure Me I’m Gay – A Reflection

    Channel Four aired “Cure me, I’m gay” in which Dr Christian Jessen went undercover to see what gay conversion therapies are offered.

    Over the course of the programme we saw him vomiting over himself, using self-help techniques, attend an exorcism and colour in a brain with wax crayons to show where his same sex desires lay. Predictably the explanations offered were around that all gay men have a distant father or were abused as a child. By the end of the programme, the good doctor retook a test to see where his sexual attraction was. He was still 100% gay.

    Conversion therapy has been around in many forms and for as long as therapy itself. Previously electro shock therapy and aversion therapy were the most well-known forms. It speaks volumes that the American Psychiatric Association, UK council for psychotherapy and the BACP have all spoken out against the so called “reparative” therapies in the past.

    In 2012 the British association of Counsellors and psychotherapist’s chose to write directly to its members to advise that it now opposes ‘any psychological treatment such as ‘reparative’ or ‘conversion’ therapy which are based upon the assumption that homosexuality is a mental disorder, or based on the premise that the client/patient should change his/her sexuality.’

    As this is the largest professional body of psychotherapists it was an important move and showed that as an industry, therapists were opposed to any kind of therapy that does not respect and support sexual orientation.

    In the past there have been some pretty horrific examples of conversion therapy:

    • In 2012, GP Marc Craddock, a doctor in Sydney Australia was struck off for prescribing a chemical castration drug for use as a gay cure to an 18 year old man.
    • In 2012, Lesley Pilkington, a Christian psychotherapist appealed against a BACP ruling that she was negligent for offering to change a client’s sexuality.
    • Dr Paul Miller would encourage clients to become sexually aroused in therapy sessions and believed that all homosexuality stemmed from the lack of a father figure. He previously ran the Abeo umbrella organisation for therapists looking to practise gay conversion therapy
    • During an undercover investigation back in 2010 for the Independent, reporter Patrick Studwick was told that it was “very Likely” that he had been abused as child and this had caused his homosexuality, oh and AIDS can be cured by prayer.
    These are the types of people that say that I’m mentally ill or under a prolonged psychosis.

    I think it is worth revisiting Freud at this point. Sigmund Freud is of course the founding father of psychiatry. In 1935, a mother wrote to him asking him to cure her son’s sexuality. Freud’s response was:

    “Homosexuality is assuredly no advantage, but it is nothing to be ashamed of, no vice, no degradation; it cannot be classified as an illness; we consider it to be a variation of the sexual function, produced by a certain arrest of sexual development. Many highly respectable individuals of ancient and modern times have been homosexuals, several of the greatest men among them. (Plato, Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, etc). It is a great injustice to persecute homosexuality as a crime –and a cruelty, too.”

    As a therapist myself I find it abhorrent that in 2014 reparative therapy is still offered. To think that clients who are clearly suffering from a huge amount of shame and guilt over their sexuality that they would go to a therapist is heart-breaking.

    To think they are delivered to a therapist who would not help and support them in their journey towards self-acceptance but instead strengthen the belief that something is wrong angers me more than I can ever express. The programme certainly offered some good discussion but all in all just highlighted that conversion therapy is flawed and shows no evidence of being effective, helpful or of any value to those undertaking it.

    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.

  • INTERVIEW: The Overtones

    As the The Overtones pile into the plush Soho Square Studios, London, I’m immediately struck at how brotherly they all are together. These guys are the real deal. Head to foot in their trademark dickie-bow look and buffed shoes, I’m immediately a fan, without even speaking to them and it’s about to get even friendlier as TheGayUK chats to The Overtones for their gayest* interview ever!

    (more…)

  • INTERVIEW: Jamie Dornan

    Jamie Dornan is mostly known to British TV viewers for his highly acclaimed and spine chilling performance as serial killer Paul Spector opposite Gillian Anderson in The Fall (BBC2). (more…)

  • Rupert Murdoch Knocks ‘Gay Orgs’ After Guinness Pulls Out Of NY Parade

    Rupert Murdoch, has taken a swing at gay organisations via Twitter, after Guinness pulled out of New York’s St. Patrick’s Day parade.

    Taking to Twitter yesterday the News Corp and 21st Century Fox CEO Rupert Murdoch seemingly criticised both gay organisations and Guinness, after the latter pulled out of the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in New York yesterday.

    The 83-year-old tweeted:

    ‘Where will this end? Guinness pulls out of religious parade bullied by gay orgs who try to take it over. Hope all Irish boycott the stuff’

    Whether he was calling the Irish to boycott Guinness or gay organisations – was left to the imagination of Twitter users.

    The Tweet came after Guinness revealed that it would no longer be one of the parade’s sponsors, after it emerged that gay groups and organisations are banned from marching in the yearly parade.

    In a statement to the press Guinness said:

    ‘Guinness has a strong history of supporting diversity and being an advocate for equality for all,’ the company said in a statement on the website of GLAAD, an LGBTI media watch organization.

    ‘We were hopeful that the policy of exclusion would be reversed for this year’s parade,’ the statement continued. ‘As this has not come to pass, Guinness has withdrawn its participation. We will continue to work with community leaders to ensure that future parades have an inclusionary policy.’

    Rupert Murdoch has, in the past, been critcised for being homophobic, when questionsed on gay marriage in 2006 the media mogul said:

    ‘I believe it is wrong.

    ‘I’m considered homophobic and crazy about these things and old fashioned.

    ‘But I think that the family – father, mother children – is fundamental to our civilization.’

  • REVIEW | Polari Literary Salon, The Southbank Centre

    ★★★★ | Polari Literary Salon, The Southbank Centre

    If you’ve not been to Paul Burston’s Polari Literary Salon, you must. I insist.

    I had my Polari Literary Salon cherry popped last night and it was stunning. An incredible, humbling and glorious array of literary talent showed their prowess on stage including: Carl Stanley, Nicolas Collins, Karen McLeod, Angela Clerkin and Maureen Duffy.

    A special mention for Karen McLeod, whose ‘humourless lesbian’ character Barbara Brownshirt had the room in tears with her odes to Judi Dench and cruelty free shoes.

    Also Angela Clerkin’s immensely enjoyable reading about her stage wetting Irish dancing nemesis provided light and shade against the often angst but thought-provoking poetic readings from Nicolas Collins, while Carl Stanley opened the evening with an intimate reading from his book about growing up gay in early 80s.

    An abundance of readings of poetry and excerpts from the author’s books, the evening provided a spotlight on some of the best queer writing, expertly hosted by the ever gorgeous and critically acclaimed Paul Burston.

    The next Polari Literary Salon evening at the Southbank Centre is on the 28th April and will star:
    Philip Hensher, Sophie Ward, Rebecca Chance, LaJohn Joseph and Kiki Archer.

  • Book Review | The Wolf At His Door (Runes Trilogy Book 1) by Adrian Lilly

    ★★★★ | The Wolf At His Door (Runes Trilogy Book 1) by Adrian Lilly

    Alec is an out gay man and his twin brother Adam is straight; both are College Students and live at home with their parents – Ilene & Jason. Their older sister Lucy lives with her partner Rene nearby. Also close is their grandmother – Geraldine, a woman who has psychic ‘vibrations’ when something bad is going to happen.

    With Geraldine’s vibrations getting worse, Alec’s friends Sam & Celeste introduce him to Jared. Then Sam & Celeste are brutally murdered.

    The Prologue is overly dramatic, too descriptive and far too long. But once past that you discover Lilly‘s wonderfully engaging writers voice and his third person writing style that switches between characters perspectives. His writers voice and storytelling makes The Wolf at His Door an easy read that becomes highly addictive as the reader reads on.

    The story is told in three parts. In part one Lilly introduces the characters, Alec’s friend’s are brutally murdered in the night at a cabin in the woods and people are going missing. Part two deals with the aftermath of the murders, the Police start their murder investigation, green-eyed evil Darius targets Alec and the investigation of the missing people is on-going.

    In the third and final part Alec & Co. start their own investigation as to what’s going on. This leads to an absolutely epic ending and sets out the direction for the 2nd book. The love interest for Alec adds to the story. Overall the storyline was outstandingly captivating, oozes brilliance and is well paced.

    The description was perfectly measured throughout; although it did have a few Americanism’s that Lilly could have minimised or removed for more universal appeal. There were a few minor errors in dialogue formatting. But neither the Americanism’s or the errors in the dialogue formatting interrupted the flow of the storyline.

    Throughout the story there is a good mix of scenes: slow ones that evoke an emotional response, investigation ones that ignite the mind with questions and face-paced action scenes that grip the reader.

    By the end of The Wolf at His Door the reader has many answered questions; but some are left unanswered – which is what will make the trilogy enthralling.

    The Wolf at His Door (The Runes Trilogy) by Adrian Lilly is essentially a werewolf, gay, mystery novel. An enjoyable read that makes the reader impatient for the release of the 2nd book in the trilogy.

    The book is only available in eformat; but this makes it perfect to read on the bus, train or tube to work. The chapters are short meaning you could read several on the way to work. However you will find yourself reading on the way home as well – desperate to find out what happens next.

  • BBC 2 George Michael announces George Michael specials

    BBC Radio 2 is to broadcast two-part documentary of George Michael.

    BBC Radio 2 to broadcast two-part documentary ‘Up Close With George Michael’

    *George Michael ‘Symphonica’ concert highlights to be broadcast on BBC One

    BBC Radio 2 and BBC One will broadcast world-exclusive programming featuring George Michael, one of the UK’s best-loved musicians, giving the behind-the-scenes story of his critically acclaimed orchestral tour, ‘Symphonica’, as well as the highlights of a special charity performance he gave during the tour.

    The documentary will also broadcast a rare interview with the Outside singer, which will air on Tuesday 18th March and the 25th March.

    The documentary was recorded in October 2011, shortly before George contracted pneumonia, which forced a delay to the tour.

    George Michael says: “I’m delighted the BBC is broadcasting the Symphonica concert, which was recorded at the Opera Garnier in Paris, a stunning setting in which to perform a gig dedicated to a charity that’s so close to my heart. It was a magical night, so I’m thrilled that fans will get the chance to experience it, as well as hearing the behind-the-scenes story on Radio 2.”

    George Michael’s concert will be broadcast on BBC1 – date to be confirmed.

  • Founder of Westboro Baptist Church, Fred Phelps, on “Death Bed”

    Fred Phelps, the co-founder of hate group Westboro Baptist Church is reportedly on his ‘death bed’ according to sources.

    According to Phelps’s son Nate Phelps who left the hate church in 1976, Fred Phelps the founder of Westboro Baptist Church is on ‘the edge of death’.

    In a Facebook post yesterday Mr. Phelp’s son said:

    ‘I’m not sure how I feel about this,
    ‘Terribly ironic that his devotion to his god ends this way. Destroyed by the monster he made.
    ‘I feel sad for all the hurt he’s caused so many. I feel sad for those who will lose the grandfather and father they loved.
    ‘And I’m bitterly angry that my family is blocking the family members… from seeing him, and saying their good-byes.’

    WBC is known for its outrageous remarks and funeral pickets especially when it comes to homosexuality.
    The group were particularly critical of Matthew Shepherd, spurring the movie The Laramie Project into production.

    The Church is also infamous for its GodHatesFags website.

  • ‘Gay Icon’ Clarissa Dickson Wright Dies Aged 66

    The last of the Two Fat Ladies has died at the age of 66.

    Clarrissa Dickson Wright has died her agent has confirmed. The TV chef and co-host of Two Fat Ladies died on Saturday afternoon at the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary.

    ‘Loved dearly by her friends and many fans all over the world, Clarissa was utterly non-PC and fought for what she believed in, always, with no thought to her own personal cost,” read a statement from her agent.
    ‘Her fun and laughter, extraordinary learning and intelligence, will be missed always, by so many of us.
    ‘In recent years, she often said, ‘I’ve had a fantastic life and I’ve done everything I could have wanted to do and more’.
    ‘During her time in hospital, she was endlessly touched and impressed by the care of the doctors, nurses and support staff, aware of the pressure under which they worked and the fact that sometimes their work was not as valued as it should have been.’
    Her co-host Jennifer Paterson died in August 1999. After Paterson’s death Ms. Dickson-Wright decided not to continue the show.
    In an interview with Philly.com in 1998, Dickson-Wright and Paterson talked about how they were very happy with their gay supporters, saying:
    ‘We’re gay icons,’ she says with glee, as if this is the best thing that’s ever happened to her. “We’re like Judy Garland and Bette Davis.
    Clarissa takes the stoic approach. ‘`The pink pounds [her reference to gay dollars] are a strong buying factor,’ she says.

  • COLUMN | 1967 And All That

    I often feel such apathy when it comes to politics and I’m a little ashamed of this. We live in an age of complacency when we often feel that having the latest technology, watching the latest T.V. program or owning the latest item of clothing is of rank importance and it’s hard not to fall into that pattern.

    Sitting in the comfort of my home, I feast my eyes on the events of other countries and let myself feel briefly indignant at how homosexuals are treated in Russia and some African countries and then I pour myself another coffee and carry on flicking through a glossy magazine or idly perusing the Internet.

    I saw a play yesterday about the 1967 legal changes that paved the way for gay equality in the UK. The laws that were passed led to homosexuality being decriminalised between consenting adults in private, albeit with an unequal age of consent. It’s hard to believe that it was so recent in our history that we were recognised as lawful and not some sinister and grotesque force of evil.

    Contrast this with stepping out of the theatre and seeing a right wing group with racist and homophobic ideals marching in protest through central London. It’s a stark reminder that we may have won the majority of the battles over the past 50 years but that the war is far from over. We’re in constant danger of losing ground. Public opinion changes and forces with evil or just ignorant and misguided intent gain ground without us even noticing.

    Pre-1967 there was a dark and dangerous climate for us. Blackmail, imprisonment, and psychiatric therapy: these were all far from unusual things for the homosexual male to be faced with as well as venom, hatred and vilification.

    Like most of us, I’m a little bit lazy, slightly complacent and frequently preoccupied with own tiny sphere of existence. This isn’t going to change massively. However, I have made a vow and that’s to be more aware. I’m going to read more, notice more and see where that takes me. I’m not going to turn into Peter Tatchell and put myself in the firing line constantly (my nerves are too fragile for that) but at least it’s a step forward. Maybe you could join me in this? Who knows where it’ll take us and what good it might do.

    Right, that’s enough politics. The soapbox can go back for storing soap in and I’m off to look around shops. I’ve done my political thinking for today.

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