THEGAYUK

Tag: Four Star Play Review

The latest Four Star Play Review from THEGAYUK.

  • THEATRE REVIEW | GH Boy – Charing Cross Theatre – The Gay Party scene – Warts and all

    THEATRE REVIEW | GH Boy – Charing Cross Theatre – The Gay Party scene – Warts and all

    Rating: 4 out of 5.

    Robert seems to have it all but in reality, he doesn’t. His fate is revealed in the new hard-hitting play GH Boy.

    Now playing at the Charing Cross Theatre until December 20th Robert (Jimmy Essex) has the perfect boyfriend in Sergio (Marc Bosch). Sergio is young, cute, fun and just adores Robert – who in Sergio’s eyes can’t do no wrong. Robert also has an understanding mom (now played by Nicola Sloane after Buffy Davis injured herself), a very good friend in Jasminder (Anryana Ramkhalawon) and an understanding therapist (Devesh Kishore). But Robert hides a secret – he’s way over his head in East London’s party scene (party = drugs).

    Meanwhile, there are whispers of a gay serial killer who entices gay men with promises of drugs, drugs, and more drugs. Robert desperately wants to leave the scene behind him and to enjoy his engagement with the adorable Sergio – but Robert can’t seem to escape the clutch on drugs – and this might just lead to a rendevous with the serial killer who seems about to snare Robert into his dangerous web.

    GH Boy tackles the misconceptions around gay culture and promiscuity and questions why gay men like Robert are drawn to this scene to the point of self-destruction in this show by debut playwright Paul Harvard.

    Originally supposed to run at The Vaults earlier this year but cancelled due to COVID 19 – catch it now while you can before possible tier 3 restrictions come into effect.

    Find out more https://ghboy.co.uk and book tickets here

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Four Play, London

    THEATRE REVIEW | Four Play, London

    ★★★★| Four Play, Above the Stag Theatre, London

    The seven (and a half) year itch rears its ugly head for one gay couple in the new play ‘Four Play’.

    Now playing at the Above the Stag theatre until February 22, 2020 – Rafe (Ashley Byam) and Pete (Keeran Blessie) have been together for most of their adult lives, and unfortunately have not had much experience with anyone else. Yet they feel like their sexual relationship is starting to become mundane, lacking a bit of spark. So they enlist their frIend Michael (Declan Spaine) to spice things up. They then agree a deal among them: Michael will have sex with them separately, while Michael is not allowed to tell his boyfriend Andrew (Marc Mackinnon). But Michael does tell Andrew, and while he and Michael did have an open relationship, Andrew wonders out loud why the couple chose Michael over him.

    Meanwhile, Rafe and Pete are enjoying the friends with benefits with Michael, but is temporary gratification going to save their dulling relationship? And what will become of Michael and Andrew’s relationship now that Andrew knows what is going on behind his back? 

    Through sharp dialogue (Jake Brunger), good acting and good directing (Matthew Iliffe), and with an excellent set (a kitchen complete with a Madonna magnet on the refrigerator), Four Play is game, set, love and match.

    And at 85 minutes, it’s a winner.

    Book tickets here

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Red Palace, London

    THEATRE REVIEW | Red Palace, London

    ★★★★ | Red Palace, The Vaults, London

    The Vaults underneath Waterloo train station have been turned into a palace – Red Palace.

    And it’s the Prince who reigns over this kingdom. Follow him and his court as they help guide you through various rooms and alleys that will surprise and hypnotize you – they are scenes right out of Alice in Wonderland.

    The Vaults have been turned into a labyrinth where you get snippets of his story and are guests at his masquerade party. Enjoy the show in the redecorated Vaults where you are led to various rooms including a room where a Mermaid will tell you her deepest darkest secrets – and she’ll ask for yours! Baba Yaga predicts the future and tells fortunes in her harem, while in the swamp you will more than likely get lost!

    The whole adventure is eerie and scary but really cool! Be really immersive and go for the dinner before the show, while a bit rushed, immerses you immediately in the evening where you get to meet the Prince and his guests to the party.

    I highly recommend the dinner as you get to meet, over a meal of three courses, your fellow attendees. The delicious meal consists of homemade soda bread with dips, delicious lentil and roasted beetrood salad and baked camembert, wth the main course being a delicious slow cooked lamb, with squash, potatoes, cabbage – and to top it off you are treated to a candy apple for dessert. It throws you immediately into the show! Or if you prefer to arrive a bit later for the ball- it’s a masquerade ball so masks and elaborate costumes, while not mandatory, are recommended – it’s ok!

    There is also a bar open all night during the show to get you lubricated with drinks that are unlike any you’d ever had before.

    The evening as a whole is a bit complicated as there are no clear cut instructions. My friend and I must’ve missed a couple of the interactive rooms because we just didn’t know who to follow or where to go. And going into the evening not knowing what it was all about left us more confused as the characters finished off the evening in a joust/fight and the main room opened up and became a dance floor.
    I’m thinking I might have to go back just to re-live, and to understand, what I was supposed to be a part of, and what this show was all about.
  • THEATRE REVIEW | Death of a Salesman, London

    THEATRE REVIEW | Death of a Salesman, London

    ★★★★ | Death of a Salesman, Piccadilly Theatre, London

    Wendell Pierce and Sharon D. Clarke are amazing in the new production of Death of a Salesman.

    Though it’s Pierce who shines a bit more. The show belongs to him in which he plays the character made famous by playwright Arthur Miller – Willie Loman. Transferring from the Young Vic where it played to packed houses, the show has not lost its impact, and in its new home – the Piccadilly Theatre – more people will now be able to see these actors at the top of their game.

    Olivier-nominated Pierce is so so so good – it’s an amazing performance where he plays a man who is unravelling – he’s no longer relevant at work, he has a bad relationship with his two sons (Sope Dirisu and Natey Jones – both very good), and to top it off he has suicidal tendencies. About the only thing that keeps him grounded is the love he has for his wife (Clarke), and the love she has for him. But with two jobless adult sons who have not amounted to much, and a job where his young boss (who is the son of the boss that originally hired him), who doesn’t recognise the years and years Willie has dedicated to the job, and practically shuns and doesn’t honour his request to work closer to home  (don’t pick up a dropped pencil is the message here), Loman is close to his wits end.

    Death of a Salesman is a long show (3 hours and 10 minutes including interval). But it’s riveting. As we watch scenes with Pierce and his sons, and the disappointment he sorely does not want to admit to – Pierce just owns it. And his scenes with Clarke are so tender and vivid it almost feels very realistic. Directors Marianne Elliott and Miranda Cromwell, along with set designer Anna Fleischle, have very successfully re-jigged this show with a black cast to make it seem relevant and real more than 70 years after it was originally written.

    A must see.

    Death Of A Salesman plays at Piccadilly Theatre until 4th January 2020, book tickets here

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Jerker, London

    THEATRE REVIEW | Jerker, London

    ★★★★ | Jerker, Kings Head Theatre, London

    (C) Nick Rutter

    It is the mid-1980s in San Francisco and two men enjoy a sexual relationship on phone sex lines in Jerker at The Kings Head Theatre.

    Originally shown in 1986 in Los Angeles, the show involves JR (Tom Joyner) and Bert (Tibu Fortes), chatting on a phone sex line, both lying on separate beds across the stage from each other, scantily dressed as if they were in their own bedrooms. And throughout this 100-minute production they talk dirty talk and bring each other to climax.

    But it’s not just a one-off – they both are enjoying their conversations and soon it becomes more than just sexual – they’re developing feelings for each other, and they also reveal their deepest darkest secrets, as well as recent sexual encounters (Bert tells one so vividly it’s exciting not only for him and JR but also for the audience). But it’s at the height of the AIDS scare and both men are living in the city that was considered ‘ground zero.’

    Their relationship, however, becomes intense, intimate and personal. However, it’s only a matter of time when AIDS strikes too close to home.

    And it did strike too close to home as the the playwright – Robert Chesley – died in 1990 of complications from AIDS.

    Jerker is a relic, a warning sign of that time – of things that were to come. It’s also a memento, and a very sad one at that.

    The original title of this play was:
    Jerker or the Helping Hand, A pornographic Elegy with Redeeming Social Value and a Hymn to the Queer Men of San Francisco in 20 Telephone Calls, Many of them Dirty

    Jerker plays at The Kings Head Theatre until 23rd November Book here

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Afterglow, London

    THEATRE REVIEW | Afterglow, London

    ★★★★ | Afterglow, Waterloo East Theatre, London

    An extramarital relationship takes its toll on two men expecting a baby in the return of the sexy play Afterglow.

    After a sell-out run at the Southwark Playhouse which ended just a few months ago, Afterglow returns to the cosy Waterloo East theatre, with a new cast, and 15 minutes shorter. Does this make the show better than the previous production? Yes it does.

    The problem with the previous production was the time-consuming moments when the actors would re-arrange the furniture for the scene changes – all a bit tedious and it took away from the sexually charged energy of the show.

    What we have now is a cast who are just as sexy, but with a show that is tighter and sexier, while we are still treated to those delicious and sexy scenes where the actors are totally naked (in the bed, in the shower, practically all over the stage)!

    The plot, if you buy a ticket for that, involves Josh (Adi Chugh), Alex (Peter Mcpherson) and Darius (Benjamin Aluwihare). Josh and Alex have been together a long time and have decided to have a baby via surrogate. But their relationship is an open one – they participate in three ways and allow each other to have fun with other guys. But when Darius enters their bedroom he and Josh click right away, and start to see each other, with Alex’s approval, and they eventually start to fall in love. But with the baby coming very soon (Josh and Alex cheekily change the name of their unborn baby weekly to peaches, lemon and cauliflower), and with Alex starting to get worried about Josh and Darius spending more time together, can Alex and Josh endure this big bump in their relationship?

    The actors are all very sexy and are all good in their respective roles, especially Aluwihare who brings a bit of naivety to his role. It’s a very good production, and at 75 minutes it’s not a big investment in your time – and it’s in a cosy and warm theatre where you might be tempted too to take your clothes off.

    Book now here

  • THEATRE REVIEW | The Woman in Black – National Tour

    ★★★★ | The Woman in Black

    (C) PR SUPPLIED / FORTUNE

    Set in an old theatre in the late 1950s, a solicitor, Arthur Kipps, enlists the assistance of a young actor to tell his story. His tale revolves around a terrifying incident when he was younger, when he travelled to Eel Marsh House to settle the estate of a long-standing deceased client. Alone in his client’s mansion, he is plagued by the sound of a pony and trap, an unexplained banging noise and a door which appears to be locked from the inside. What secrets does the estate hold? And who is the woman in black he keeps seeing?

    This effective ghost story is beautifully crafted and uses simple techniques to create a very taught atmosphere. The lighting design, in particular, was incredibly well done – who would have thought that a dark stage with just a door highlighted would draw worried mumblings from those around you? The production slowly cranks up the tension, drawing you to the edge of your seat and then throwing you back into it with some effective jump scares.

    The narrative of the show remains faithful to the original novel, and the production avoids spoon-feeding you the story, leaving you to create your own horrors in your imagination. The set, staging and props were remarkably effective in their simplicity and created an atmosphere where you held your breath with the central character as he explored the darkness; and the way in which the audience is manipulated via the events unfolding on stage is testament to the quality of writing behind the show and the impressive performances of the two actors, Robert Goodale and Daniel Easton.

    The Woman In Black is well-crafted fireside ghost story which proves that there is more to what is unseen than what is seen. This show is a chilling pre-Halloween treat and a perfect way to spend a dark, stormy winter evening.

    The Woman In Black is currently at Sheffield Theatres until 12th October 2019 before continuing on its national tour and is also playing in the West End.

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Now And Then, London

    THEATRE REVIEW | Now And Then, London

    ★★★★ | Now & Then, Above the Stag Theatre

    Above the Stag’s current show has lots of great songs with very good performances and a plot that is so unique and different.

    Now & Then tells the story of a gay couple through three different times in their lives. And in order to do this, they need six different actors to play these six parts, and every one of them is wonderful in their own way.

    We get Daniel 1 and Greg 1 (Dylan Wynford and Freddie Woodyatt) are when the couple first meet, at a young and tender age – where both are smitten with each other. Then in middle age, we see Taylor Rettke and Rhys Taylor, while Richard Costello and Leo Andrew play them in their older age.

    Greg was always the sensible one, while Daniel was the dreamer – he’s a country and western singer (a very good one at that) who actually never really made it big.

    So, as the title reflects, it’s ‘Now & Then’ – time to reflect on the past and to accept the present. Of course, regrets linger as the couple gets older, and Daniel’s drinking problem nearly causes them to break up, but it’s their true love for each other that gets them to older age and still a couple. Without singling any of the actors out, kudos go to Costello as the older Daniel- he sings beautifully, and when he sings at the end with the song ’Solitary Man’ he is just as perfect as it gets.

    Go see Now & Then – not just for the unique storyline but also for the very good songs, all in harmony with each other, with the show, and the actors. It’s just beautiful.

    Book tickets to see Now & Then at Above The Stag

  • Jean Paul Gaultier Fashion Freak Show: Part Folies Bergére, part cabaret, part Rocky Horror Picture Show, and all fashion, you’ll be mesmerised!

    Jean Paul Gaultier Fashion Freak Show: Part Folies Bergére, part cabaret, part Rocky Horror Picture Show, and all fashion, you’ll be mesmerised!

    ★★★★ | Jean Paul Gaultier Fashion Freak Show

    The life of Jean Paul Gaultier is told in very unique style at the Southbank in a show appropriately called Jean Paul Gaultier Fashion Freak Show. And what a show it is!

    Ever since JPG was a little boy he always had a thing for fashion. You see, his parents told him to be whatever he wanted to be – which helped him become the man he is today – one of the most well-known fashion designers of his generation. And JPG is the Créateur du spectacle et des costumes (Creator of the show and the costumes), Metteur en scéne (Director),and the Librettiste. Basically it’s his show, and it’s all about him, and of course his costumes!

    Part Folies Bergére, part cabaret, part Rocky Horror Picture Show, and all fashion, you’ll be mesmerized by what is taking place on the stage. It’s a full-on show that takes you through JPG’s life, which includes the soundtrack to his life, with songs like ‘Smalltown Boy,’ ‘I Want Your Love’ ‘Sex,’ ‘Relax,’ ‘Le Freak,’ ‘Respect Yourself,’ and the huge dance anthems ‘Work’ and of course ‘Vogue,’ where the young, virile, lithe performers give their voguing all on the stage. Also in the show is the story of JPG meeting his partner Francis while they were still students in the Paris suburbs. But it’s not JPG if it were not for the fashion, and fashion we get plenty of. Costumes in all shapes and colors, with nods to classic, simple, outrageous and of course fetish, and let’s not forget the cone bra that JPG famously made for Madonna – it’s all here in many cone dimensions.

    Jean Paul Gaultier Fashion Freak Show (an invitation, according to JPG, to dream and to make your dreams a reality) is a show that, while is slightly artificial and over the top (like the fashion world), is a helluva good time, and a good way to spend two hours.

    TICKETS
    From £30
    Box Office: 0203 879 9555
    Website: www.southbankcentre.co.uk

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Fanny and Stella, Above The Stag

    THEATRE REVIEW | Fanny and Stella, Above The Stag

    ★★★★☆ | Fanny and Stella

    A

    Life Through the Looking-Glass?, Lady Sasha reviews Fanny and Stella, the historic drag exposé at London’s Above the Stag Theatre.

    Has drag always been a drag? Not until now! Frankly, any queen living must be pig-sick of an endless tsunami of Ru Paul wannabees, with drag fiercely embraced as a personal salvation on par with the second coming of Christ! Oh, don’t get your kitty claws and dagger out just now, readers – the last thing you could possibly accuse Lady Sasha of is being anti-trans! My god, you could raise an entire battery-farm of female breasts from the oceans of oestrogen pills I’ve shovelled down, in my ceaseless quest to piss in the collective face of the binary idiocy dividing humanity!

    Still, enough with the rants, but – sexy Satan on a chaise-lounge!- sometimes, a girl just has to justify her out-there, trans-everything status to avoid web crucifixion by media trolls! So – without further ado – let’s excavate the Fanny and Stella back-story, and mercifully, it’s nothing like the fluffy puppy, musical-theatre abortions infesting the West End.

    So, way back in 1870, two cocks in frocks – aka rent-boys en femme- were arrested in drag by a suspicious detective at the Strand Theatre. Shockingly, they were intimately examined at the police station for evidence of anal sex – stained panties and Vaseline, anyone? – then committed for trial.

    But – and it’s a very big butt – here’s where the case becomes surrealistically absurd. Though screamingly obvious the boys publicly dressed in drag to rinse and be treated to prestige events by their tranny-f*cker admirers, the judge – and jury – simply couldn’t conceive that fine, upstanding Englishmen would engage in sodomy with what were seen as pantomime dame entertainers. Why, the mere idea – in the strictest Orwellian sense – was literally unthinkable, a gorgeously naïve, conceptual blindness that we today, quite rightly, should regard as heart-warmingly innocent.

    It’s such a pity, then, that such sexual gullibility wasn’t present at the later, bleakly tragic trial of Oscar Wilde, but for Boulton and Park, the patron saint of homosexuality – the pierced, Ancient Roman martyr Sebastian – smiled on their blessed butt cheeks. In short, they were fully acquitted, and their whole, astounding story- including a townhouse crammed with their besotted fanbase’s gifts of drag and jewellery- is explored in depth in author Neil McKenna’s book Fanny and Stella: The Young Men Who Shocked Victorian England.

    That’s the basis of Glenn Chandler’s Fanny & Stella @ the Stag, a bravura show brilliantly sprinkled with astute, vaudeville ditties. Tobias Charles (Fanny) and Kieran Parrott (Stella) give an incandescent sheen to an infectiously addictive show that hugely benefits from our current, across-the-board, societal embrace of non-diversity culture.

    Forget hackneyed, I Will Survive-style drag clichés and barnstorming; this is drag seamlessly explored as non-binary, gender fluidity, an exhilarating mash-up of male, female and in-between tropes that simply grips from moment one. Fiercely facilitated by producer Peter Bull – who’s constantly championed game-changing drama– this show deserves an immediate, West End transfer! See it now!

    *To June 15: abovethestagticketsolve.com/ , 0203-488-2815

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Tumulus, Soho Theatre, London

    THEATRE REVIEW | Tumulus, Soho Theatre, London

    ★★★★ | Tumulus, London

    (C) Darren Bell

    There’s a mound in Hampstead Heath where dead bodies of gay men are being found. It’s a tumulus (a mound), and the story behind the tumulus is disturbingly and jarringly portrayed and performed in a show of the same name at The Soho Theatre.

    It’s a life of drugs, sex, parties, and unfortunately murder in this production where gay men PnP (Party and Play – code words for drugs with sex). But in particular one gay man, Anthony, who works at the British Museum as a curator (a fantastic Ciaran Owens), through phone apps (we know which ones), finds himself in this world of chemicals and sex.

    In this world he encounters men around his age (Ian Hallard) and much younger men (Harry Lister Smith), who are also like him – living a life where there are no bounds and no boundaries. But gay men are winding up dead in Hampstead Heath, and Anthony might have just stumbled on the idea that there is a serial killer of gay men out there. All this happens in an explosive one hour of theatre that will awaken your senses and your mind.

    Tumulus is a show that is taut, tight, but never loses it’s edge, thanks to sharp writing by Christopher Adams and direction by Matt Steinberg. It’s got a great cast, especially Owens as the lead character.

    He takes us on this journey with him, in our face and right up our arses.

    Tumulus plays at the Soho Theatre until 4th May 2019