THEGAYUK

Tag: London News

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

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Botallack O’Clock

    THEATRE REVIEW | Botallack O’Clock

    Dangling for 70 mins in a smoky room, adjacent to a stained mattress with Dessert Island Discs emanating from a Bush radio, alongside tick tock tick tock, Beethoven and the squiffed fantasies from an abstract artist who will drink to your health, insult if you were christened Darius or if you work for Blue Peter, might cause you to fornicate with a portrait and Monster Mash with a bear. ★★★

    Writer and Director Eddie Elks interprets a suspended hour at 3am for artisan Roger Hilton CBE in his Cornwall basement/bedroom/studio, aided with a bottle of Teachers malt, a talking wireless and a paint-water-thirsty feline.

    Attempted gherkin stabbing, a wife-eating crocodile composition, hide and seek with some teddy trouser pulling-down nonsense is enough to keep Hilton awake in the wee hours – will it keep your mince-pies open?

    Turbulent and bonkers with glimmers of merriment as you delve deeper into the whisky-hazed, gifted mind of a boob-admiring canvas-and-oil prize winner.

    Think self-indulgent luvvie in a student’s bedsit.

     

    Botallack O’Clock run until 6th February 2016 at the Old Red Lion Theatre, 0844 412 4307

     

  • COMMENT: Are We In Union, No More Strikes?

    COMMENT: Are We In Union, No More Strikes?

    A new year in our sprawling, over-populated Old Smoke brings fresh days of small businesses, freelancers and other innocent bystanders losing days of income; months-in-the-planning school balls, saved-up-for pre-bought theatre tickets and the last chance to visit a dying relative or close friend ruined, tarnished or made impossible – unless of course you’re employed by Coutts.

    And in the oh-so-cheery months post-Christmas, the joy of having to prise yourself out of ya pit even earlier than usual to rugby-tackle your way onto a bus, play sardines for the duration of your journey and arrive at work stressed, your regalia stuck to your person as if you’d just attempted all the positions in the Kamasutra, and having to disinfect some stranger’s armpit from off of ya boat-race due to London Underground (LU) striking yet again.

    God bless RMT (The National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers), Aslef (The Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen) and Unite The Union – the three unions that represent LU employees, and the instigators of the 26th January, 15th February and 17th strikes. You’re doing a sterling job chaps.

    Why are LU striking again? For the same reason as last year – pay, and night tubes.

     

    According to the TFL website, undated 11th January: LU is creating 700 new jobs to run the night tube service – offering total protection of work-life balance – and over 6,000 people have applied for the new roles. Thus the current Thomas-the-tube-engine staff won’t be obliged to work nights.

    What actually crosses the palms of our slave-esque, light-in-the-purse-department underground staff each year: Tube drivers £49,673, plus 43 holibob days. A customer service assistant £30,000, and a station supervisor £50,000; both get 52 vacatiarno days. Tidy.

    The national minimum wage is £6.70 per hour – an average 40-hour week would bring home around £13,500 a year.

    A newly-qualified teacher in England and Wales: annual salary£22,244, or £27,819 if based in the Big Smoke.

    Starting yearly take-home for fully-qualified nurses is £21,692. London-dwelling Florence Nightingales attract a high-cost-area supplement that can bump up their salary by as much as 20 per cent: £26,304.

    Direct from TFL, LU’s four-year pay offer: in year one an average rise of two per cent; years two and three would remain at RPI (retail price index) or rise by one per cent, whichever is greater; year four would be RPI plus a 0.25 per cent rise. Plus, a £500 bonus is up for grabs for all night-crawlers.

    BBC News reported: The union’s London district organiser, Finn Brennan, said:

    “We genuinely regret the inconvenience that will be caused but the behaviour of London Underground’s senior management team have left us with no other choice.”

    Really, Finn? You feel you have the right to disrupt, cause loss of earning and make eight million people’s life hell because you feel LU management didn’t behave in the way you wanted? Just sayin.

    Steve Griffiths, LU’s chief operating officer, responded:

    “The unions’ position is absurd and detached from the real world.” I think we can all agree with that, Mr Griffiths.

    So what else is the union’s beef?

     

    The RMT press office stated:

    It should be noted that Night Tube Operation will impact on all of our lines and therefore some of our staff will be required to work alternative rosters to enable the business to maintain the infrastructure.”

    A roster jig around – really?

    RMT General Secretary Mick Cash said:

    “Our Tube Lines members have been offered the same deal on pay and Night Tube as their London Underground colleagues and our reps have clearly rejected it as wholly unsatisfactory.”

    Poetic – so you’re not chuffed with the four-year pay plan?

     

    According to The Guardian, January 2011: 590 to 32 National Grid (NG) staff voted for industrial action over pay, and wanted to strike in protest against below-inflation wages – they were supported by Unite and Unison and two other unions. The strikes didn’t happen and they found a resolution. We don’t hear the word ‘strike’ whenever rich-tea has been mistakenly bought instead of hobnobs by NG employees.

    The gas, electricity and water companies don’t annually threaten, or stop providing us with said utility when disputing pay, shift and employment issues. Transport in London is as essential as the three mentioned above.

    The Gay UK contacted a West-London-based District Line tube driver for his opinion on the strikes:

    “I’m not a lot of help I’m afraid! Being on the District Line means that we are not affected by the night-time work proposals and as such I’ve stayed clear of the debate. As an Aslef member I’ll strike if the union calls for it, but I don’t get involved actively.”

    Not affected, doesn’t get involved, but will still strike.

    Facts: London would be a better city with 24-hour tubes. LU wages aren’t on a par with banker bank balances, but they ain’t bad. LU are employing more staff so they can implement the night tubes with them, thus not forcing current staff to work nights.

    No-one’s work life is perfect; most would say they weren’t happy with their pay, having the rota played with, or changes within the company that might affect them; but the majority still go to work and get on with it – or find alternative employment.

    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.

  • THEATRE REVIEW: The Dazzle, London

    A play about two brothers who need each other to coexist is the plot of the new play The Dazzle. ★★★

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  • RESTAURANT REVIEW: Royal China (Queensway Branch)

    Brimming with locals, the Royal China (Queensway) was super busy even for a late lunch sitting, which is always a good sign.

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  • Armed Gang Preying On Gay Men Using Hook Up App In London

    Armed Gang Preying On Gay Men Using Hook Up App In London

    A gang of thugs is attacking gay men in South London after setting up hook ups on the dating app.

    A gang of men have reportedly mugged two gay men in South London after arranging a hook up with each of them through a dating app. Although the men were not hurt they were confronted with a gang of four who robbed them at knifepoint.

    Detective constable Sheree Yates said: ‘The victims thankfully did not suffer serious physical injuries but have been left very shaken by these incidents.

    ‘We are keen to identify the suspects as soon as possible and are appealing to anyone with any information to contact the police.

    ‘We would also like to take this opportunity to reassure the LGBT community that we are doing everything we can to arrest these men.
    ‘I would urge everyone who uses online dating apps and sites to take steps to help them to stay safe whilst meeting strangers.’

    Police are warning men who use Grindr and other dating apps to take extra precautions – including keeping your personal details private, making sure you drink responsibly and let friends or family know where you are going and at what time you expect to be back.
    Their full list of tips reads:
    Please consider the following safety tips when using a dating app:

    – Don’t share personal details such as your home address until you can trust the person you are communicating with

    – If you decide to meet in person, let someone know where you are going and when you’re likely to return

    – Always meet in a public place with lots of people around

    – Plan your journey to and from the date in advance. If using a mini cab always pre-book

    – Drink responsibly and never leave your drink unattended

    – Ensure your mobile phone is fully charged and working

    – If at any time your feel uncomfortable, leave the date – you are not obliged to stay

    For further crime prevention and personal safety advice visit the Metropolitan Police website at http://content.met.police.uk/Site/victimadvice

    Anyone with information should call police on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. Anyone who has been the victim of crime through online dating can contact police or Victim Support on 0808 1689 111

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Victorian & Gay – where cooks cook, and ladies lady

    THEATRE REVIEW | Victorian & Gay – where cooks cook, and ladies lady

    What chestnut-cracking season’s complete without multiple bonkers reenactments of Dicken’s Scrooge, pussy jokes articulated in beautiful Victorian English, a couple of murders and some good old festive references to sodomy – falalalala la la la la? ★★★★

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  • THEATRE REVIEW | Tinderella, Cinders Slips it In is a real sparkle of a production!

    Above the Stag theatre has done it again and produced another hilarious panto in ‘Tinderella: Cinders Slips it In.’ ★★★★

    The theatre has produced many a camp panto in years past. These include ‘Dick Whittington: Another Dick in City Hall’ in 2009, ‘Sleeping Beauty: One Little Prick’ in 2011, and last year’s ‘Treasure Island: The Curse of the Pearl Necklace.’ But with ‘Tinderella: Cinders Slips it In‘ the Stag has outcamped, and outdone, all its previous pantos. It’s as camp as christmas and as gay as eggnog. And it’s hilarious.

    The title says it all. The show is a take off on Cinderella, and in the Stag’s version Prince Charming is searching the kingdom for a man (and NOT a woman) who fits into the glass slipper, in the kingdom of Slutvia. And that man is Cinders. He cooks and cleans and does the chores for his wicked evil stepmother Countess Volga and her two vile daughters Nicole Ferrari and Maude Escort. But then one day, while on a gay app on his mobile phone, he meets Prince Charming, and it is love at first sight for both of them. But Cinders’ phone gets ruined (I won’t say how!), and he’s unable to contact, or be contacted by, the very handsome young Prince.

    But there is a Fairy Godmother, in the form of The Fairy, and she’s the one who, with the help of the adorable Buttons, makes sure that Cinders gets to the ball to be reunited with Prince Charming, though the Prince’s father, King Ludwig, has no clue that his son is jonesing for another man. It’s all a laugh a minute when the show takes us from the Countesses’ kitchen to the King’s office to a courgette that gets turned into, funny enough, a mode of transport to which Cinders to the palace! We also are treated to songs about balls, a clever slow-motion scene that involves the entire cast, and enough campiness and cute boys to make even Alan Carr blush. And to top it off, we are spoiled with Slutvia’s Eurovision song!

    What can one say about a show that has ok acting, ok singing, and an ok script? Well – it’s brilliant! You’ll be laughing from the opening scenes which include a giant rat, to the audience participation bits (there are quite a few and boy are they clever!), up to the final heartwarming and groin inflaming scenes. It’s a show that’s over two hours but it flies by. And the cast are perfect, from Joseph Lycett-Barnes as Prince Charming to Lucas Meredith as Buttons and Grant Cartwright as Cinders – everyone does their part, and they all act very well with each other! From the writers and director of total sell-out hits ‘Get Aladdin,’ ‘Jack Off the Beanstalk,’ and ‘Treasure Island – The Curse of the Pearl Necklace’ (Martin Hooper and Jon Bradfield) and directed by Andrew Beckett, Above the Stag has put on another memorable show.

    Tinderella: Cinders Slips it In is playing until January 16th, 2016. Most performances are sold out but there are a few tickets left on various dates. To book, please go here: http://www.abovethestag.com/shows/

     

  • RESTAURANT REVIEW: Hunter 486 @ The Arch, London

    Hunter 486 is situated within the Arch Hotel (we sneaked a peak at one of their delightful, bright and cosy rooms before we were seated- always a good sign to see a Bang & Olufsen phone in a bathroom).

    486 being the original dialling code for the area that the hotel appears to show much loyalty to via adorning walls in artistic photographs of local architecture, and even a one off piece of art by Vincent Poole concocted from the names of local streets, shops and galleries.

    There are three elements to Hunter 486; the bar, the champagne lounge (with leather booths, curtained for privacy), and the main restaurant, with an open kitchen on view, equipped with stone oven, hanging pots from the ceiling, and the chefs are pretty cute to boot too, which surely is the best thing about an open kitchen from a diner’s perspective, right?

    Some delightful options for tidbits / pre-starters are available, us opting for the Quail Scotch Eggs (£3), beautifully presented with trickling sunny yolks next to a pot of crunchy teeny cubed vegetable piccalilli. The scotch eggs deep-fried in a fine golden batter, encasing a wonderfully intense herby pork sausage, and perfectly cooked lovely, runny, quail’s egg (fab with the piquant piccalilli). This was an absolute peach of a dish, I feel it should feature as a proper starter option, somehow.

    Along with the eggs we tried some Homemade Crisps (£3), which were channelling an epic roast dinner via flavours coming from lemon and sage. Also at the table were a couple of homemade breads; the brown being nutty and sweet, slightly heavy for me – but the breadwinner of the plate being a crusty fluffy olive bread, which makes some seriously charming chemistry with mopping up of the scotch egg yolk.
    Never one to ignore scallops on the menu, it was medleyed with scorched chunks of chorizo and silky smooth strips of roast red pepper, altogether creating a flavourful din atop a pale green rocket salad (£12.50). Aesthetically the plate is perfection, which matches the cooking of the scallops.

    However, rivalling the scallops’ splendour, a colourful and fragrant Heritage Beetroot & Orange Salad (£8). Beautiful beets in three shades with bright orange slices create earthy and tart boldness that crave the mellowness that the chopped hazelnuts and goats’ cheese crouton bring to the dish. A symphony on a plate.

    What strikes me from the mains menu, is that nothing really strikes me. We both struggled to pick something, which is a shame as decisions were instantaneous with the starters (and we had even chosen desserts). The mains lack the creative flair that’s seen throughout the rest of the menu, and even in the hotel itself. Nothing jumps out from the “pubby” selection of burgers, steak, pizza, fish & chips etc.

    Due to season, Hunter 486 also had a thanksgiving menu, so we ordered one of the Norfolk Bronze Turkeys with roast sweet potatoes, glazed root vegetables and cranberry sauce. The meat was not dry at all, perfectly moist. Essentially a very good roast dinner, and it is what it is really, but there was no wow factor.

    The same enthusiasm with the other main on the table, in the form of Braised Lamb Shank (£19), with Mediterranean spiced aubergine and chickpeas. Served in a bowl decorated by a rim of an intensely sharp and minty sauce that was fab, and looked great against the dominant reds of the dish, adding a bit of zing to counteract a rich gravy from the lovely lamb. The chickpeas could have done with a couple more minutes cooking but other than that the dish was great, but again no wow factor. All down to, I feel, an uninspiring selection on offer.
    Desserts? Here we go, Hunter 486 back on form. There were so many enticing options (all @ £6.50) that we ordered three to share between the two of us. Hazelnut & Apple Tart – Sweet dreams are made of THIS; Pastry perfection with sweet toasty cinnamon lacing the nutty and dewy apple filling. A few sticky syrupy globules encasing crunchy whole hazelnuts decorate the plate, and i mourn for it as i pass to my friend to share.

    Coconut Panna Cotta and its creamy, silken texture paired with a bold, icy mango sorbet takes me somewhere tropical. The sorbet was leaning on the over powering side as the coconut flavour of the panna cotta was a little shy. A few toasted coconut flakes on the plate attempt to reinforce the flavour. Passing the plate over, the panna cotta delightfully wobbling as it went, i was almost tempted to wolf whistle at it.

    A refreshing clementine salad made a wonderful close to the meal, being zesty, cleansing and uplifting. Paired with toasted almonds, and another burst of freshness from pomegranate jewels, strewn with a herby hint of mint. I cleverly saved this for last as its healthy exuberance and feel good factor makes me forgive (but certainly not forget) the indulgence of the two desserts prior.
    As our plates were being cleared by the very well dressed and charming service staff, I go over the dishes that we had in my mind, and it is such a shame that there was that creative and flavour lull mid-meal with the mains. Everything else around this however, was absolutely enchanting; the starters and desserts stick with me still, and I would come back to Hunter 486 if not only for those gorgeous scotch eggs (and yes perhaps another slice of that hauntingly good hazelnut & apple tart). The good by far outweighs the disappointing, and i would even say it’s now on my list of the most memorable meals I have had for various reasons, and that surely, is good food.

    Reviewed by: @Lohanjordan

    ADDRESS: The Arch London, 50 Great Cumberland Place, Marble Arch, London, W1H 7FD

    PHONE:+44 (0)207 724 4700

    PRICE: ££££

    STAR: ****

    TIPPING POLICY: Optional 12.5% will be added to your bill.

    MAKE A RESERVATION: http://www.opentable.com/hunter-486-brasserie?page=5

  • THEATRE REVIEW | The Blues Brothers

    THEATRE REVIEW | The Blues Brothers

    The blues are back in town in the form of ‘The Blues Brothers Christmas Special’ at the Arts Theatre in Covent Garden. ★★★★

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  • RESTAURANT REVIEW | 108 Brasserie

    Entering 108 Brasserie you are welcomed with festive cheer in the form of smiles from the bar, and a wonderfully humungous autumnal wreath adorned in oh so trendy right now copper highlights and leaves.

    The aroma of the room is dominantly sweet, and I’m pretty certain the sugar and spice smell is emerging from the 108 Pantry adjacent to the restaurant, which deals in everything from sandwiches to scones, and gluten-free/low-sugar-healthy-feel-good options to sumptuous cake extravaganzas that just make you want to hit the f*** it button.

    The decor contemporary, and a bit ritzy cliche – cream walls, marble tables, red leather seating, with walls studded in black & white photography. Ceilings are high and so are expectations.

    To accompany our lovely, floral & fruity cocktail; The Marylebone (named after the hotel the restaurant is situated in)- which was made out of champagne, vodka, raspberry liquor, and elderflower, came a selection of homemade breads (from the 108 Pantry). I’ve never been a fan of bread before a meal, I find it far too filling. As my friend and began to discuss the bread, she told me a story she had heard of whenever Nicole Kidman is served bread at restaurants, she tips a glass of water over it, so she is not tempted by the captivating carb.
    The Rye bread was so dense and far too heavy – Though I’ve never really understood rye bread that has not been toasted. Eager to try the guinness brown bread, we tucked in and it was absolutely delicious but it was so cake-like and sweet it felt like it was at the wrong point of the meal, what’s more, because it was sweet, we wanted to keep going back for more of it. The soda bread and pumpkin seed loaf was much lighter, and solidly savoury- this was just right.
    Crispy Pig Cheeks with mustard creme fraiche, and an apple & raisin chutney (£8), caught my eye immediately on the starter menu (the menu in its entirety is full of tempting options, however those of you that are vegetarian/vegan may feel a little restricted with choices). Flakey and fleshy peppered pig cheeks in a light crispy batter were delicious and generous in portion, complimenting and working with watercress’ natural peppery pow. The only thing that let the dish down for me was the chutney, it just tasted like something mince pie, but the plate was still very enjoyable without eating the chutney.

    Also coming as a starter, the Balmoral Estate Venison Capaccio (£11) – very french in its style and presentation. The venison, like red velvet draped on the plate, pretty against the pale green frisee salad it’s freckled with. The venison pretty much melts on your tongue, all buttery and rich, which is fantastic combined with the pickled walnuts on the plate, bringing something sharp and sweet. A very well designed plate of food.

    Taking one for team vegetarian, I ordered the Spelt & Roasted Squash Risotto (£15). With it being the only main suitable for vegetarians (other than from the salad menu) it should have been a lot more than what it was. Texture wise the dish was on point, I love grains like spelt and pearl barley for their ridge down the middle that is just a treat on the tongue, as was the dishes creaminess. To look at the dish was underwhelming being basically beige. The dish could definitely handle more sage than just the one crispy leaf served, and way more black pepper.

    Served in their shells, the Seared Isle of Skye Scallops (£16), wonderful colours with the scallops sat atop an amber dahl-like spiced lentil dollop, flavoured with fresh coriander. This was an unusual dish in terms of its flavour pairings, although every other table in the restaurant was eating the scallops (the portion size is generous too). My friend loved this dish, but for me I thought where scallops are sometimes susceptible to being gritty, it was odd serving with lentils.
    For something light on the side we ordered a Superfood salad (£8), which I’m not really sure restaurants are allowed to put on the menu as “superfood”, unless it states specifically with scientific backup as to why it is superfood. It’s not just the name i would take off the menu, it would be the dish itself, as it just felt like a bunch of everything thats deemed “in” was put in a bowl and served; quinoa, pomegranate, edamame beans, raw broccoli. It had no flavour and too many textures.
    Blaming bread and generous portions we were struggling with the idea of dessert so opted for something light to share in the form of the Josper Grilled Pineapple (£7) – the josper is a grill and an oven in one, there is also a josper menu for mains featuring fish, tiger prawns and steaks. Unfortunately the dessert did the josper no justice. The pineapple tasted limp as did its chilli and lime sauce. Expecting fire and sweet and it was just overly sweet and syrupy. Topped with a scoop of coconut sorbet which lacked flavour altogether, which was a real shame.
    The end of the meal was sealed via a limoncello each, and some lovely small homemade chocolates (again from the 108 Pantry), large chocolate buttons topped with pistachio, cranberry and a bit of salt- they were delicious and had a great salty tang to them. The variations change daily.
    The service throughout was amazing, the staff that looked after us are certainly a credit to the establishment. I just got the feeling that they really enjoy working in 108, they knew the menu really well, were proud of the ingredients when talking us through them and where they came from etc. The 108 Brasserie has a lovely vibe, if it hadn’t have been for an appointment i had to get to, we could have easily just mooched around soaking up the atmosphere, and probably be tempted to explore the fantastic cocktail menu too.
    Reviewed by @Lohanjordan

    ADDRESS: 108 Marylebone Lane, London, W1U 2QE, United Kingdom

    PHONE: +44 (0) 207 969 3900

    PRICE: ££££ (explained)

    STAR: *** (explained)

    TIPPING POLICY: http://108brasserie.com/location/

    MAKE A RESERVATION: http://108brasserie.com/book-now/

  • THEATRE REVIEW | The Illusionist live at Shaftesbury Theatre

    America and Britain’s Got Talent has quite the same format and it’s this bi-coastal variety TV show that springs to mind and also celebrates the essence of The Illusionist.

    The Illusionist recently opened on Broadway in New York and currently running simultaneously with a different batch of Illusionist’s in London’s West End. I was accompanied by someone who was going to make this show her first Broadway experience and how rapid did any excitement dissolve and replaced with disappointment as the show came across as a highly, taut, expensive and stretched variety show.

    Audience participation was relied on and the faces on the unlucky chosen were illusions of willing victims that seemed as though they were not embarrassed to be on stage but more so embarrassed to be associated with some of acts.

    Ok, so despite the show being a glamorised magic show (thanks to the heavy advertising and prestigious theatres that house these shows), there were a few steals to be had. The Anti Conjuror shocked the audience by regurgitating a few razor blades that were strung through a piece of floss, ‘’how did he do that?’’, muttered the audience whilst covering their children’s eyes.

    Technology was revealed on stage by The Futurist and his acts with bright technology and perfect timing were very welcomed – finally something decent and suitable for the kids in the audience.

    No magic show is complete without someone escaping from something – The Escapologist made sure that was served up whilst being hung upside down in flames (of course).

    The Trickster continued to blow fresh air throughout the whole show with his adult focused comical one liners and had the kids muttering ‘’what does that mean?’’. The Trickster certainly left the stage with the adults wanting more.

    Good seats are important to view this show so everything on stage is beamed onto a screen for everyone that sits say beyond the 10th row in the orchestra. What’s the point of sitting beyond this and more so what’s appealing with going to a theatre to watch a screen?

    The Illusionists create their standalone performances so don’t expect them to interact together. The show doesn’t offer anything that most viewers haven’t seen before.

    I did leave the theatre thinking ‘’how did they do that…how does a show like this become Broadway worthy?’’ – that’s magic!

    The Illusionist live at Shaftesbury Theatre, London & Broadway, NYC, 14/11/15 – 03/01/16