Tag: London News

All the latest from London, the capital of the UK, home to the UK’s largest gay community.

THEATRE REVIEW | La Soiree

PR Supplied

★★★★ | La Soiree

The best show in Central London is now playing for a limited time only in Leicester Square – it’s La Soiree!

Back in London for a 7th time, La Soiree is a theatrical experience that will wow and shock you – it’s circus, vaudeville and burlesque all rolled up into one in a show that’s funny, mesmerising, and very enjoyable. In the especially-built venue that is the Spiegeltent right in the middle of Leicester Square, it’s a show in the round, in a velvet-draped salon of carved wood, polished mirrors and the feeling of having stepped into another world, and where every seat has a good view of the shenanigans the performers get up to. Grab a drink at the bar and have fun watching these amazing performers:

-Denis Lock is a bubble-making master. He makes bubbles in all sorts of shapes and sizes, including a carousel – he really needs to be seen to be seen!
-Songstress Acantha Lang, from New Orleans, sings intermittently throughout the show – her vocals are large and high octane! She’s a diva and she owns it!
-Captain Frodo is a hilarious comedian who is able to put his whole body through two small tennis racquets – it’s contortionism at it’s very best!
-The very naughty and funny Ursula Martinez – she finds hankies in the most unusual places – enough said!
-Daredevil Chicken is a man and woman duo who do incredible costume changes and are able to toss bits and pieces of bananas into theirs (and audience members) mouths. They are side-splittingly funny!
-Jarred Dewey likes to swing, on a swing (he’s a trapeze artist)! And he does it with very little clothes on.
-Hamish McCann, while shirtless, performs a jaw-dropping pole act that makes it look like he’s literally walking up a light pole. He makes it look easy.

For two hours you will be entertained, and your jaw will drop, not only at the amazing feats these performers accomplish, but also because it is all very hilarious and raucous.

So step away from the busy and blustery streets of London into this plush cabaret venue where you will have a really good time!

Christmas in Leicester Square run until 8th January 2017, 0207 492 9942

24th November 2016
Did you ever have contact with serial killer Stephen Port?

The Independent Police Complaints Commission, who are currently investigating the Metropolitan Police for their response to the deaths of four men in London are looking for witnesses who may have had contact with Stephen Port to come forward.

CREDIT: TheGayUK/JakeHook

The IPCC is investigating the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) response following the deaths of Anthony Walgate, 23, Gabriel Kovari, 22, Daniel Whitworth, 21, and Jack Taylor, 25. Stephen Port was found guilty of their murders following a trial at the Old Bailey in London.

The bodies of all four men were found in the Barking area, between June 2014 and September 2015.

The Metropolitan Police Service referred itself to the IPCC in October 2015 after it identified concerns regarding the initial investigations into the men’s deaths.

Stephen Port was a member of a number of services and had a variety of handles on services, these were: shyfitguy on Flirt, Daddy4son2012 on Daddyhunt, topdomhunk on Hornet, knockknock2014 on PlanetRomeo, untilwemeet on Manhunt and StephenPort on Couchsurfing.

On gaydar his profile name was, skygay502 and on Grindr he was known as Top Fun Joe.

Peter Tatchell, gay rights activist, said,

“Appallingly, even after the third murder the police were still maintaining that the deaths were ‘unusual’ but ‘not suspicious.’ They did not issue a public alert to the gay community that a serial killer could be on the loose. This failing ignored Met Police best practice advice which was agreed two decades ago, after previous murders of gay men.

“The police appeal for public information came in October 2015 – a year too late. Four young men were already dead. This appeal should have been made in August 2014 after the first two killings. If the police had done this, further deaths may have been prevented. Two of these men might still be alive.

IPCC Commissioner Cindy Butts said,

“Today our thoughts are with everybody affected by the tragic deaths of Anthony, Gabriel, Daniel and Jack at the hands of Stephen Port.

“It is important we establish whether the police response to the deaths of all four men was thorough and appropriate in the circumstances, including whether discrimination played any part in actions and decisions. As his trial established, Port was known to the police in connection to the death Mr Walgate. We now know that tragically, three more young men went on to lose their lives.

“I have met with LGBT community members in Barking and Dagenham to explain the IPCC’s role, and would like to provide the assurance that our investigators are continuing to work hard to scrutinise the police response to the tragic deaths of these four young men.

“We would like to hear from anybody who provided information to the police about Port, or any of his victims, between 19 June 2014 and 15 October 2015.”

Anyone with information should contact the IPCC on 0800 151 0021 or email barking&dagenham@ipcc.gsi.gov.uk.

23rd November 2016
Stephen Port found guilty of murdering four men he found on gay dating apps

Stephen Port has been found guilty of a fourth murder, that of Anthony Patrick Walgate, a 23-year-old who was his first murder victim.

The BBC are reporting that Stephen Port,41, was found guilty at the Old Bailey in London, for the murders of four men he met via gay dating apps. He was also convicted of three rapes.

He has been found guilty of the murders of Anthony Patrick Walgate, 23, Gabriel Kovari, 22, Daniel Whitworth, 21 and Jack Taylor, 25. Their bodies were dumped in or near a graveyard in Barking. The graveyard was 500 meters away from his flat in east London.

Port has denied 29 charges in total.

Initially, he was charged with four counts of murder in relation to the deaths of four men between June 2014 and September 2015.

The charges relate to the deaths of:
– Anthony Patrick Walgate, 23, from Barnet, who was pronounced dead on Cooke Street, Barking on 19 June 2014.
– Gabriel Kovari, 22, from Lewisham, whose body was found near the churchyard of St Margaret’s Church, North Street, Barking on 28 August 2014.
– Daniel Whitworth, 21, from Gravesend, Kent, whose body was found near the churchyard of St Margaret’s Church, North Street, Barking on 20 September 2014.
– Jack Taylor, 25, from Dagenham, whose body was found near the Abbey Ruins close to North Street, Barking on Monday, 14 September.

The Met Police is currently under investigation by the Independent Police Complaints Commission following concerns on how it handled the initial investigation into Mr Whitworth’s death.

Human rights advocate Peter Tatchell monitored the police handling of the serial killings of young gay men in east London from October 2014 and liaised with a friend of one of the victims, Gabriel Kovari.

Commenting on jury’s guilty verdict and the way police responded to the multiple murders by Stephen Port, he said,

“While timely and commendable, this verdict is no compensation for the loss of four young gay men who had their lives, hopes and dreams cut short.

“Appallingly, even after the third murder the police were still maintaining that the deaths were ‘unusual’ but ‘not suspicious.’ They did not issue a public alert to the gay community that a serial killer could be on the loose. This failing ignored Met Police best practice advice which was agreed two decades ago, after previous murders of gay men.

“The police appeal for public information came in October 2015 – a year too late. Four young men were already dead. This appeal should have been made in August 2014 after the first two killings. If the police had done this, further deaths may have been prevented. Two of these men might still be alive.

This is a breaking news story and will be updated as it develops.

23rd November 2016
Serial Killer found guilty of murdering three men he met on gay dating apps

A man has been found guilty of murdering three young men he met on gay dating apps and websites.

The Press Association are reporting that Stephen Port,41, was found guilty at the Old Bailey in London, for the murders of three men he met via gay dating apps. He was also convicted of three rapes.

He has been found guilty of the murders of Gabreil Kovari, 22, Daniel Whitworth, 21 and Jack Taylor, 25. Their bodies were dumped in or near a graveyard in Barking. The graveyard was 500 meters away from his flat in east London.

Port has denied 29 charges in total.

Initially, he was charged with four counts of murder in relation to the deaths of four men between June 2014 and September 2015.

The charges relate to the deaths of:
– Anthony Patrick Walgate, 23, from Barnet, who was pronounced dead on Cooke Street, Barking on 19 June 2014.
– Gabriel Kovari, 22, from Lewisham, whose body was found near the churchyard of St Margaret’s Church, North Street, Barking on 28 August 2014.
– Daniel Whitworth, 21, from Gravesend, Kent, whose body was found near the churchyard of St Margaret’s Church, North Street, Barking on 20 September 2014.
– Jack Taylor, 25, from Dagenham, whose body was found near the Abbey Ruins close to North Street, Barking on Monday, 14 September.

Jurors have yet to decide on a verdict on the murder of Anthony Patrick Walgate, a 23-year-old who is alleged to be the first murder victim.

This is a breaking news story and will be updated as it develops.

23rd November 2016
Khan’s “Night Tzar” under pressure after calling George Osborne a C**T

Amy Lamé is under pressure to put her political leanings to one side after a number of Tweets she sent before her appointment as London’s “Night Tzar” criticise Tory politicians.

CREDIT: HM Treasury

Earlier this month the mayor of London, Sadiq Khan appointed Amy Lamé as a figurehead in supporting London’s 24-hour economy. However, she has come under pressure to put her politics to one side after a number of offensive Tweets to numerous Tory politicians were unearthed.

Leaders of Conservative-run boroughs in London are calling on Amy Lamé to show bipartisanship after she described Conservative MSP Ruth Davidson as ” Tory scum” during the Stonewall Awards, and called former Chancellor, George Osbourne a “c**t”.

CREDIT: Twitter

In a Tweet sent in 2015, Amy said,

“I could say that @George_Osborne is a c***. but he has neither the warmth not the depth. #tampontax”

first day at #CityHall as #NightCzar 💪🏾💥 pic.twitter.com/aheADdH3aS

— Amy Lamé (@amylame) November 7, 2016

In a letter to Amy, leaders of six boroughs, Westminster, Wandsworth, Bexley, Kensington & Chelsea, Hillingdon and Kingston councils, which are all Conservative-led, pointed out that the new Night Czar had made her political leanings “very clear”.

They wrote:

“We are therefore writing to seek reassurance that you will approach your important new role in a bipartisan way and work constructively with Conservative councils.

“We ask that you put your political bias to one side and set out how you will work with all councils to promote and protect Greater London’s night time economy.”

According to the Evening Standard, a City Hall spokesman said,

“We are confident that Amy will have an excellent relationship with councillors from all political parties.”

21st November 2016
THEATRE REVIEW | Tonight with Donny Stixx, The Bunker

★★★★ | Tonight with Donny Stixx, The Bunker

CREDIT: Savannah Photographic

Donny Stixx is a boy with problems. He’s the product of a troubled background but he’s putting all that behind him for one night of audience questions and answers as he jokes with the audience, winking cheekily and tells us all about his rise to fame and his magic act. Sadly, Donny isn’t as famous for his dated magic show as he is for other things and he’s not known as the most hated boy in England for nothing. His cheesy ‘end of the pier show’ facade soon drops and despite his rage at the questions about the shootings, he’s going to tell us all about it.

Multi award-winning playwright Philip Ridley is a master at capturing the darker side of the human condition and the story of Donny Stixx is a fine example of his work. Like its companion piece Dark Vanilla Jungle this is a one person show that features a troubled teenager. The script is witty and fast paced and almost dizzying as Donny bombards the audience with his repartee. There’s a cosy and domestic theme to his rambling that draws you in but soon falls apart as a much scarier and uncontained Donny breaks through.

Director David Mercatali has a fine pedigree of presenting Ridley’s works and this is no exception. Sean Michael Verey (Pramface) hits all the right notes as Donny. He manages to convey both an endearing vulnerability and a truly chilling rage as he interacts with an imaginary audience (don’t worry, there’s a fourth wall). It’s not hard to see why he won awards for this performance at The Edinburgh Fringe. The new space of The Bunker at Southwark is a fine home for a piece like this. It’s an intimate new 110 seat venue in an old underground car park (you may want to take a warm coat) next to The Menier Chocolate Factory (a short walk from London Bridge Station). The sparse staging helps to centre attention on Verey’s powerful performance.

Donny Stixx raises interesting issues about the nature of the lost and lonely teenager and how society can fail them. If you want an evening that’s funny but as far away from the saccharine highs of a West End musical as can be then this is a must see.

Tonight with Donny Stixx plays at The Bunker Theatre until 3rd December

Follow Chris Bridges on Twitter

21st November 2016
RESTAURANT REVIEW | Rudie’s Jamaican

★★★★ | Rudie’s – Great Jamaican food in hip Dalston!

Rudie’s offers what they call a ‘Boss Burger’ – a rare breed of beef chuck patty that is topped with apple wood smoke cheddar, sweet honey mustard, red onion, tomato, pickles and jalapeño chilli – and it’s huge – worth the £12 price. My dining companion ate the whole thing.

Sides were a must to have, and it was the Avocado and Mango Salad that was the best dish of the night. A snip at only £4.25, it’s a big bowl of fresh avocado and mango with dices of onion and tomato in a very nice vinaigrette dressing. Amazing. The Sweet Plantains were also amazing – at £3.00 a great deal – topped with a hint of sugar to give them a sweet flavour.

Desserts are recommended after your meal but they’re very small! I had the Rum Cake expecting a nice portion, but it was quite a small, perhaps the size of the palm of a hand. It was sprinkled with berries and almonds and a syrup sauce, and came with ice cream, but it left me wanting more! My friend had the Banana Brulee, it has a nice crust and underneath the coconut custard créme was heavenly, but again a bit on the small side. Both were £5.50.

It’s all about exotic drinks when going to a Jamaican restaurant, and Rudie’s does not disappoint! There are 10 delicious sounding cocktails to choose from, and while we didn’t have all 10, we did order the ‘Jamaica Nice’ – a nice smoothie with almond syrup, lime, nectarine, rum, with a huge slice of pineapple – it’s as delicious as it sounds! My friend ordered ‘The Colony’ – another rum cocktail that included brandy – he said it was smooth going down. All ten cocktails are priced at a very friendly £8.50 each.

The bill for the meal came to £80 – not too bad considering all the different types of food we ate, coupled with the drinks. Rudie’s is a great place to eat, with large windows so you can watch the passing trade walk by. Service is wonderful, and they’ve been in business for just over a year. With Dalston becoming the hip place to live, Rudie’s will most definitely live up to a similar mantra – it will be the hip place to eat.

Reviewed by: Tim Baros

Telephone: 0207 249 9930

Address: 50 Stoke Newington Road N16 7XB

Opening hours:

Mon – Wed: 18:00 – 22:00

Thur: 12:00 pm – 22:00

Fri – Sat: 12:00 to 23:00

Sun: 12:00 – 22:00

PRICE: ££ (explained)

STAR: ★★★★ (explained)

14th November 2016
Savage who murdered PC he met on Grindr and dissolved his body is found guilty of murder

The man who murdered a police officer and then disposed of the body by horrifying means is found guilty of his murder and will be sentenced next month.

A man who killed a serving police officer he met on Grindr has been found guilty of his murder and disposing of his body by dissolving it in acid and other horrific means will be sentenced next month.

Stefano Brizzi, 50, went to great lengths to dispose of 59-year-old Gordon Semple, by dismembering him and getting rid of him in a manner which “amounts to cannibalism”. Police investigating Semple’s death also revealed that they found “a number of bottles of chemicals scattered over the hallway floor and in the bathroom,” when they arrived at Brizzi’s address.

CREDIT: Metropolitan Police

On Friday, 1 April, Gordon Semple, who dedicated 30 years of his working life to the police, was on duty and had been at a meeting in London Bridge. Phone evidence has shown that at just after 14:00hrs that day he used the dating app Grindr to arrange to meet Brizzi for sex at his south London flat.

That afternoon Brizzi strangled Gordon Semple to death and over the following week set about systematically disposing of his body in a bid to either avoid being caught or ensuring that Gordon could never be identified.

In a statement released to the press Detective Chief Superintendent Peter Ayling said,

“Fuelled by drugs, Stefano Brizzi murdered Gordon and then set about systemically disposing of his body, the detail of which is quite frankly distressing to read and hear.

“The investigation has evidenced the sickening lengths that he went to dismember Gordon and dispose of his remains, not just in the immediate aftermath of the murder but over the days that followed, and amounts to cannibalism.

“Brizzi clearly and coldly laid a false trail by contacting Gordon on Grindr five days after he himself had murdered him and weaving a fictious account of what took place that afternoon.

“Brizzi was unaware that Gordon was a police officer and the investigation has proved that the two men had never met before. Only Brizzi will know the reasons why that day he became a killer.”

SHOCKING DETAILS

Detective Chief Superintendent Peter Ayling continued,

“The details of Gordon’s murder have shocked and traumatised his partner, family, friends and colleagues.

“The responding officers and all those involved in the investigation into Gordon’s death have been affected by it, made all the worse by knowing he was a colleague. It is a testimony to their professionalism that Brizzi has been convicted.

“Sadly, it is clear from the investigation that Gordon, a man who had dedicated the last three decades of his life to policing London, was behaving on duty in a way that no police officer should. Gordon held a position of trust, and he broke that trust.

“However, nothing should distract from the actions of Stefano Brizzi and the blame for Gordon’s death lies firmly with this man. A killer whose cold calculated actions are so grotesque they are beyond comprehension. Nothing will bring Gordon back, but I hope that the verdict will help all those who loved and cared for him; who considered him a friend and who worked alongside him to come to terms with how they feel and start to move on.”

GRINDR

The investigation by the Met’s Homicide and Major Crime Command established that both Gordon and Brizzi routinely used Grindr to meet like-minded men for sex and drug use.

Over the 24 hours prior to Gordon’s murder, Brizzi was using Grindr to chat to men and invite them to his flat, his messages show that he was getting increasingly frustrated during this time as people failed to show up. He had been taking drugs and had been awake all night.

Two hours after Gordon had arrived at the flat he continued to use Grindr to invite other men to join them whilst Brizzi’s own messages clearly showed he was becoming less interested in what was happening.

The last message that Gordon sent that day was at 19:04hrs. Only 20 minutes later a call to Gordon’s mobile went unanswered – Police believe by then he was dead.

In evidence, the prosecution outlined that Brizzi’s motive was unclear, but he told one of the responding officers that despite not knowing him he simply did not like Gordon.

DEVASTATED FAMILY

A statement on behalf of the family of Gordon Semple said,

“Gordon was a loyal and much loved long term partner, brother, brother in law, uncle, cousin and friend to all.

“We were devastated when the news broke of Gordon’s murder and the circumstances which are still incredibly hard to deal with. It is still insurmountably upsetting.

“At Gordon’s funeral we met many of his friends and work colleagues – we were proud to hear how fondly they thought of Gordon.

“Gordon will be sadly missed by our family. Gordon we miss you so much, may you rest in peace.”

14th November 2016
A gay couple were homophobically abused in London

Two men were subjected to sustained homophobic verbal abuse as they held hands walking across the Jubilee footbridge towards Lambeth.

Supplied

Detectives from Westminster Borough have released footage of a man they would like to speak to in connection with a homophobic incident in Charing Cross close to the Heaven nightclub. The incident took place on August 13th and footage from the rant has just been made available to the public with cops asking the public for information to find the suspect after no arrests have been made.

Police were called at 02.00am on August 13th after the two men were subjected to anti-gay slurs.

The two men -aged 28 and 26- walked down the street holding hands they were approached by a man who shouted homophobic abuse at them. The man continued to shout at the victims as they walked west along Jubilee footbridge towards Lambeth.

One of the victims was able to record the suspect on his mobile phone.

The suspect is described as white, slim and in his early 30s. He was wearing a black top, dark hooded jumper, jeans and trainers.

Police Constable Emma Rogers, from Westminster CID, said,

“This is a shocking incident that has left both victims very distressed. We are keen to identify the man in the footage so we can speak to them about the incident. We would also urge anyone who witnessed the incident to contact us.”

Anyone with information or any witnesses are urged to call police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Homophobic hate crime has continued to rise in London. In April statistics from the Metropolitan Police showed that homophobic crime has soared nearly 20 per cent in one year.

14th November 2016
THEATRE REVIEW | An Inspector Calls, The Playhouse Theatre

★★★★★ | An Inspector Calls, The Playhouse Theatre

CREDIT: Mark Mark Douet

J.B. Priestley’s 1940s play An Inspector Calls had languished somewhat until Stephen Daldry’s (The Crown, Billy Elliot, The Hours) landmark 1992 production.

The piece was much loved by amateur dramatic societies and small regional theatres, in part due to its seven-person cast and one room staging. Daldry’s revival, almost 25 years ago, at The National Theatre, gave the play a fresh lease of life with a radical new staging and a dramatic set design by Ian MacNeil. Now restaged again in London at The Playhouse Theatre, after long-running regional tours, this stylish and evocative revival is still feeling as fresh and pertinent as it did in the 90s.

In 1912 the wealthy upper middle-class Birling family are celebrating their daughter’s engagement to the son of a prominent family. The evening in their dining room in Bromley is interrupted by the arrival of Inspector Goole who tells them of the death of a young woman by a particularly gruesome suicide. The family are at first irked by the intrusion on their celebrations but gradually come to see that they each had a role in bringing about the woman’s downfall.

The stage is dominated by a giant dolls’ house raised high above the stage. This has to be one of the most breathtaking stagings of the last few decades. To describe the workings of the set would ruin the surprises but needless to say, it’s a clever design that enhances and doesn’t swamp the play’s message. Even though the smaller stage of The Playhouse feels a little cramped for the production, it’s still powerful and atmospheric. The cast are strong, and special mention must go to the excellent Barbara Marten as the monstrous Sybil. She imbues a touch of high camp without detracting from the horror of her snobbish coldness.

Can a revival of a play from seventy years ago, about a family from a hundred years ago still speak to today’s audiences? The answer is a resounding yes. The theme is self-interest, prejudice and how people use others weaker than them to get ahead. With recent world events and the scary rise of far right wing politicians, it couldn’t feel fresher. Or more chilling.

Follow Chris Bridges on Twitter

An Inspector Calls plays at The Playhouse Theatre

13th November 2016
THEATRE REVIEW | The HIV Monologues

★★★★★ | The HIV Monologues

CREDIT: Dionysis Livanis

From AIDS to PrEP: Love, Sex & HIV

If you met a moreish specimen of a man on Grindr, in Rupert St Bar or at a friend’s gatherette and there was immediate trouser-twitching, shimmies to the heart department and your thoughts turned towards naming your first pair French bulldogs – but then, after some time into this meet, said hottie informs you he’s HIV positive – do you know how you’d react?

Marking twenty years since life-saving HIV medication was introduced to the UK, Patrick Cash has penned a very real production that will send sparks to your neurons, pricking your nervous system: a trio of scenarios that are entwined together touching on the effects of HIV in the 80s up until the current day.

Alex (Denholm Spurr) – a Labrador puppy intermixed with a male cheerleader with obtuse understanding of the immune-attacking virus – struggles with the idea of being close to someone who’s positive, and barely has enough shrapnel to buy even the smallest tube of lube. The out-of-work actor gets himself into a sticky situation with the truth.

Lack of knowledge inflames fear, but understanding can provoke the guardian in all of us. Irene’s (Charly Flyte) journey nursing AIDS patients is moving and compelling. Barney (Jonathan Blake – one of the first people to have been diagnosed with AIDS in the UK) learns to live with the deficient insight with HIV in the 80s – a convincing performance.

A Thunder Looper of emotions: stigma, humour, shame and love – some well-directed tandem acting by Luke Davies – a challenging subject to cover – executed well.

Two new dates at the King’s Head Theatre as part of their World AIDS Day weekend 20th and 21st November.

8th November 2016