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Get the latest LGBT+ Sheffield news from THEGAYUK. Breaking news, features and interviews from the gay community in Sheffield in England, UK.

  • THEATRE REVIEW | An Officer and a Gentleman – The Musical – National Tour

    ★★★☆☆ | An Officer and a Gentleman

    Officer and a Gentleman review

    Based on the classic film of the same name, An Officer and A Gentleman tells the story of Zack Mayo, a trainee fighter pilot who is from the wrong side of the tracks and is trying to make his way through the Naval Academy. Paula is a local girl working in a factory where she and her colleagues see the only way of escaping their humdrum lives is by being swept off their feet by a pilot and whisked away. But what starts off as a little bit of fun between the two of them becomes something more, but will either of them admit their true feelings?

    The show, and the first act in particular, thunders across the stage with dizzying speed and a relentless energy, in a production which is noisy, loud, bold and incredibly unsubtle; where a collision of lighting, sound, projected images, live music and a barrage of costume changes combine to be the absolute antithesis of the “less is more” school of thought.

    Jonny Fines makes for an appealing enough lead as Zack Mayo, with his ridiculously ripped form and a wry smile, nestling in nicely alongside his fellow recruits who appeared to have been hand-picked primarily for their pecs and ‘ceps appeal.  But despite the testosterone-fuelled world depicted in the story, the stage belonged firmly to the female ensemble, bringing some decent vocal performances to lift the broadly functional performances of the cast.

    Nikolai Foster’s direction takes the scattergun approach of throwing sufficient tricks, bells and whistles at the audience in the hope that some of them will stick, with a roughly even split of hits and misses. The show is set to an eclectic mix of 80’s classics, the musical numbers varied in terms of quality and performance, with a belting rendition of Alone by Emma Williams only serving to highlight the pub circuit stylings of some of the other musical numbers. There is a mix of soft rock classics (“I Want to Know what Love is”, “The Final Countdown”), some bubble-gum pop (“Girls Just Wanna Have Fun”, “Material Girl”) and some of the lesser celebrated 80’s staples (“Hearts on Fire”, “Working for the Weekend”) compounding the scattergun feel of the show, but not necessarily in a bad way.

    But that is where the show really hits its stride. It never pretends to be anything other than what it is intended to be, namely a fun, cheesy and fairly corny slice of entertaining escapism. By the time the show draws to a conclusion with its iconic ending set to a sweeping rendition of Up Where We Belong, you can’t help but be suckered in by the feel-good factor of this slice of 80’s cheese.

    An Officer and A Gentleman is currently at Sheffield Theatres until the 9th June 2018 before continuing on its national tour

    BOOK TICKETS HERE

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Sunset Boulevard

    ★★★★☆ | Sunset Boulevard

     

    Sunset Boulevard celebrates the golden age of Hollywood, where fading silent screen icon, Norma Desmond is trying to put herself back into the spotlight, with the assistance of Joe Gillis, a screenwriter who literally crashes into her life and is seduced by the lifestyle she can offer. However, scratching beneath the surface of the glitzy show business veneer exposes a dark tale of unrequited love, obsession, jealousy and controlling and manipulative behaviour, which brings people to the brink of insanity and murder.

    Sunset Boulevard is not necessarily Lloyd-Webbers strongest work, although it does have a score which, at times, is reminiscent of Evita; but it certainly entertains. And whilst, in the words of the musical, Evita may have brought with her “just a touch of star quality”, Ria Jones brings an abundance of dazzling West End class with a powerhouse performance as Norma Desmond, proving that she is every bit the star that her character once was. Danny Mac (Strictly Come Dancing) is also very impressive as Joe Gillis, strutting the stage with a cocksure swagger and holding his own against such a strong leading lady.

    But this production it is not all about the performances. Colin Richmond’s set design is top-notch, with a real attention to detail and some inventive visuals; and the scenes transform smoothly and elegantly from one location to another whilst projected images enhance the multi-layered set. The staging is grandiose and inventive, moving from the large open spaces of the studio backlot to the intimacy of darkened rooms of Desmond’s mansion. The 16 piece orchestra is delightful and the lighting design washes the stage with the orange and gold glamour of Hollywood before fading into the dimly lit locations of the darker corners of the story.

    Sunset Boulevard is a standout touring production which oozes with class, sophistication and quality.

    Sunset Boulevard is playing at Sheffield Theatres until Saturday 28th April 2018, before continuing on its national tour

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Art

    ★★★ | Art, Sheffield Lyceum Theatre

    Art centres on a picture. A picture of some white lines. Some white lines on a white background. A picture which costs Serge £200,000. But is it art? His friend, Marc doesn’t think so, but Marc is a traditionalist and not a fan of modern art. Their friend, Yvan, is fairly indifferent, but is too busy focusing on his pending marriage and doesn’t want to offend either of them by agreeing or disagreeing. But over the course of an evening, the debate rages, and the three of them bicker, fall out and deliver some home truths; as the painting proves to me more of a talking point than they expected.

    Mark Thompson’s stage design is deceptively simple. The blank walls, the clean lines and the minimalist furniture all reflect the canvas in question, but looking closer, the set also reflects the three main characters, with three differently styled chairs reflecting each of their tastes.

    With so little on stage, Art heavily relies on its script and performances to hold the audience’s attention over the play’s 90-minute runtime. Yasmin Reza’s script (translated by Christopher Hampton) is wordy, fast-paced and remains sharp and witty, with some nice comedic elements and a satisfying pay off. Nigel Havers is well cast as Serge, carrying an air of superiority and condescension; Denis Lawson satisfies as Marc who favours the traditional over the modern; whilst Stephen Tompkinson upstages both of them, with a surprisingly impressive turn as Yvan, bringing laughter, pathos and emotion to the stage as the piggy-in-the-middle of the bickering group.

    Over 20 years since it landed in the West End, Art remains an enjoyable piece which in itself provokes debate as to whether its real intention is a serious point about the appreciation of art from an individual perspective, whether it is poking fun at the pretentiousness of the superiority that can accompany a highbrow point of view, or whether, Like Yvan, it sits somewhere in the middle.

    Art is at the Sheffield Lyceum Theatre (www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk) until Saturday 21st April 2018 before continuing on its national tour. Visit www.arttheplay.com for full details.

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Northern Ballet’s Jane Eyre

    ★★★☆☆ | Northern Ballet’s Jane Eyre

    THEATRE REVIEW | Northern Ballet's Jane Eyre
    THEATRE REVIEW | Northern Ballet’s Jane Eyre

    In a timely revival, Northern Ballet celebrates one of the great literary heroines of all time, Jane Eyre, a fiercely strong and independent woman who moves from the unloving care of her Aunt to the strictness of the Lowood Institution; and subsequently on to Thornfield, the home of her employer and subsequently her true love.

    Cathy Marston’s choreography nestles neatly between traditional and contemporary ballet, and is set to a score which moves between being playfully uplifting and darkly dramatic. The Northern Ballet Sinfonia was on point with their performance, having swelled their numbers from the previous tour of this production.  The set is deliberately sparse, primarily comprising of screens and curtains which are used to focus the attention on particular areas of the stage and its simplicity compliments to complexity of the narrative and provides for a workable dance space; whilst the costumes give a flavour of the bleakness of the Yorkshire Moors which are occasionally peppered with bold colour

    Dreda Blow charms as the titular character, whilst Javier Torres gives a brooding and charismatic performance as Rochester; and Victoria Mason breathes life and insanity into the role of Rochester’s wife. In a company which danced with technical precision across the board, Mlindi Kulashe and Kevin Poeung both stood out from the ensemble and their consistency of performance and development from ballet to ballet continue to impress.

    Given the rich story and the numerous events depicted in the book, there is a lot for Marston to fit into the ballet’s two hour run time, and whilst the key plot points are hit; the narrative is not always as clear as it could be. Those familiar with Bronte’s work will find much to enjoy within this production, whilst others may find the programme notes useful in keeping track.

    That aside, Jane Eyre is a ballet which contains a flowing visual style, rich characterisations and a faithful adaptation of a timeless story which manages to maintain a feeling of freshness and originality in a frequently told tale.

    Northern Ballet’s Jane Eyre is at Sheffield Lyceum Theatre (www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk) until 14th April 201, moving to Cardiff New Theatre, London Sadlers Wells and The Lowry, Manchester. Visit www.northernballet.com for details.

  • THEATRE REVIEW | The York Realist – The Crucible Theatre, Sheffield

    THEATRE REVIEW | The York Realist – The Crucible Theatre, Sheffield

    The York Realist

    Set in the 1960’s, hard-working Yorkshire farmer, George, is volunteered for a part in the York Mystery Plays by his busy-body (and somewhat devoted) neighbour; where he meets and falls in love with John, the London based and rather cosmopolitan assistant director. But despite their feelings for each other, the difference in their two very different worlds soon becomes apparent.

    Director Robert Hastie shepherds the cast with skill, never shying away from the intensity and emotional impact of silence and pause in the midst of the drama; and eliciting quality performances from the cast with an unassuming ease. Jonathan Bailey (Broadchurch) and Ben Blatt (Spooks) excel in their respective performances as John and George, having a terrific on-stage chemistry and engaging in performances which were wholly absorbing, touching and brimming with genuine emotion.  Brian Fletcher’s monosyllabic character of Jack brought some of the lighter moments within the piece, whilst Lesley Nicol (Downtown Abbey) brings a warm and instantly recognisable charm to her portrayal as the down to earth matriarch of the family, which is as homely as the cottage kitchen that makes up the stage.

    Peter Gill’s script vacillates from fast-paced, northern-humour filled dialogue to long silent pauses of emotional drama with ease; and is reflective of the changes in society at the time, both in terms of the progress of modern life and the beginning of a change in attitudes. There is an underlying reticence of some of the characters to move on into the modern world, which mirrors the cautious approach of John and George to their relationship; and, in particular, whether George lives his life for himself or for others, despite his family’s unspoken acceptance of his sexuality. There is a real tension between the old-fashioned values and the familiar feel of a comfortable, established life and the progression into a time of social and economic change; which sits alongside a head-on clash of city and country life and a disparity between the social class of the protagonists.

    Running at Sheffield’s Crucible Theatre until 7th April 2018, The York Realist is a touching, tender and tear inducing piece of heartfelt and beautifully understated theatre; with solid central performances from two actors with a genuine on-stage chemistry, and enough Yorkshire humour to satisfy the home crowd.

    Visit www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk for tickets and details.

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Fat Friends The Musical – Sheffield

    ★★★☆☆ | Fat Friends The Musical

    As her wedding day approaches, Kelly buys her dream wedding dress, even though it is two sizes too small for her.

    When Julia Fleshman, the head of a national slimming club chain, comes to town to judge a slimming contest live on TV, Kelly ends up going viral with her body confident comments; and seizing the opportunity for some publicity, Fleshman offers to pay for Kelly’s wedding if she can slim into the dress in time for the big day. But with the wedding only six weeks away, the pressure is on…

    Fat Friends is very much a piece of crowd-pleasing theatre. Pulling together multiple stories of the good folk of Headingly, a town near Leeds, the stage is filled with likeable, if slightly caricatured, characters and is a straightforward evening of undemanding fun.

    The show boasts a good cast, with Jodie Prenger taking the lead as Kelly, and doing so with a cocky northern confidence and a belting singing voice. Sam Bailey (The X-Factor) is great as Kelly’s Mum and Natasha Hamilton (from Atomic Kitten) is the scheming Julia Fleshman. Thrown into the mix is an affable turn from Kevin Kennedy (Coronation Street) and ex-cricketer Andrew “Freddie” Flintoff, who takes to the stage and fares better than expected with a slightly stilted, if not tongue in cheek, portrayal of Kevin, Kelly’s nice but dim fiancé.

    The songs are amiable enough and used to move the story forward, and whilst they were perfectly pleasant to listen to and shoehorned a few laughs into the lyrics, they served their purpose well enough in terms of keeping up the show upbeat and jolly, but were ultimately fairly forgettable. The live orchestra added to the atmosphere within the theatre and the set design was a colourful cartoonish affair which was well lit and effective in its simplicity.

    Written and directed by Kay Mellor, who wrote the original TV series that the show is based on; Fat Friends is a rather loud, boisterous and upbeat show, which really resonates with its target audience. It’s a rather clichéd musical by numbers, with a heavy-handed script, fairly trite lyrics and a rather unsubtle approach to its humour, but what it lacks in sophistication, it makes up for with likeable characters, a few good belly laughs and buckets-full of near the knuckle, northern charm.

    Fat Friends is currently playing at Sheffield Lyceum Theatre until the 17th February 2018 (www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk) before continuing on its national tour until the 2nd June 2018. Visit the show’s website at www.fatfriendsthemusical.com for details.

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Beautiful: The Carole King Musical – National Tour

    ★★★★☆ | Beautiful: The Carole King Musical


    During the 1960’s Carole King was part of one of the most successful songwriting partnerships of the era, writing hits for The Shirelles, The Drifters and Little Eva; leading to success with songs including “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow”, “The Loco-Motion”, “(You Make Me Feel Like) a Natural Woman”, “You’ve Got A Friend” and “I Feel The Earth Move”.  But behind the success was a personal struggle for King in trying to make her marriage with Gerry Goffin, her philandering husband and song writing partner, work; and it is her rise to the top and her troubled home life which form the backbone of the story for this musical biopic.

    Beautiful really stands apart from the usual jukebox musical/musical biopics, given the quality of the writing, presentation and performances. The narrative absorbs you straightaway; and there is an abundance of instantly likeable characters, a wonderfully sharp script filled with warmth, humour and personality and a lighting design which really does bring the stage to life, making it feel bright, bubbly and brimming with energy.

    But the quality was not reserved only for the look of the piece, but extends to its rather talented cast members. Bronte Barbe was delightfully charismatic as Carole King, projecting a powerful voice without ever having to force a note; and exuding a natural and believable on-stage chemistry with Kane Oliver Parry as King’s husband, Gerry Goffin. Amy Ellen Richardson and Matthew Gonsalves bounced off each other nicely as the bickering Weil and Mann; and the entire cast, including the ensemble, all stepped up the plate in terms of their vocals, alongside some incredibly competent acting, giving rise to very believable performances across the board.

    The first act, detailing King’s success within the music industry, brings with it a barrage of 17 musical numbers which are performed with flair and vigour; whilst the second act is slightly more downbeat and more drama focussed, as the decline of King’s marriage and her growth into a solo artist are depicted.

    Although you may not have heard of Carole King, her music is embedded into popular culture, and with the number of songs that you immediately recognise adorning the stage, you realise just how much of an influential songwriter King really was. Ultimately, this is a story of love, hope and determination, and a production which rises above the usual jukebox musicals with a set of strong central performances, in particularly Bronte, and a polished, professional and quality feel.

    Beautiful is at the Sheffield Lyceum Theatre until Saturday 10th February 2018. For details and tickets visit www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk.

    The show then continues on its national tour until 23 June 2018. Click here to book tickets.

  • Sheffield man charged after train conductor allegedly subjected to homophobic abuse

    A 32-year-old man has been charged after a train worker was allegedly subjected to homophobic abuse.

    British Transport Police have said that a man was charged with a hate crime after a train conductor was allegedly subjected to homophobic abuse on Sunday 4th Feb 2018.

    The man appeared in court on the 5th Feb 2018.

    String of homophobic incidents

    There have been a number of homophobic reports in the last few months

    In early December a man allegedly abused two women, and two teenagers were arrested following an attack where a young man was forced into a headlock and told to apologise for being gay.

    In November, another man was “punched repeatedly” outside Charing Cross station, just a few hundred meters from one of London’s highest-profile gay clubs, heaven.

    In September a woman hurled homophobic abuse at two men on a train between Havant and Pulborough, with one of the victims suffering an injury after the women threw a glass jar at them.

    In September, three teenagers pleaded guilty to attacking two boyfriends on a train in Ealing. They were jailed for their attack.

     

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Hairspray, Sheffield Theatres

    ★★★★☆ | Hairspray – Sheffield Theatres

    Set in Baltimore in 1962, Tracey Turnblad is a big girl with a big heart, big dreams and even bigger hair. Tracey (with her best friend, Penny, in tow) cuts school one afternoon to audition to be a dancer on The Corny Collins Show, her favourite daytime TV programme. Despite the best efforts of Velma Von Tussel, the show’s producer, Tracey is chosen to be the new dancer; but when Tracey learns that her black friends aren’t allowed to dance with the white kids on the show, she sets out to change things once and for all. But can Tracey unite black and white on TV, win the hand of her heartthrob and fellow dancer, Link Larkin, and walk away with the Miss Teenage Hairspray Pageant crown?

    Based on the 1988 John Walters film, this is a colourful and energetic production which ups the camp value and fun factor to create a feel good, crowd-pleasing musical with a strong underlying message about social inequality.

    Matt Rixon pleases as Edna Turnblad, and bounces nicely off Norman Pace as Wilbur; whilst Brenda Edwards (X-Factor) belts out the tunes as Motormouth Maybelle and manages to nail her big number with ease. Rebecca Mendoza makes her professional debut as Tracey Turnblad, and despite some unnecessary gurning and an overly squeaky American accent, gives a competent performance, although one which would have showed her talents far better if her direction was reined in slightly, allowing the role to be played with a straight bat. The remaining cast provided for a spectacular ensemble, filling the stage to the brim in the musical numbers, and bringing with them an infectious enthusiasm.

    Featuring the songs “You Can’t Stop The Beat”, “Good Morning Baltimore”, “Welcome to the 60s” and “I Know Where I’ve Been”, the numbers come thick and fast, and are catchy, upbeat and instantly likeable. The dance routines are full of energy and ensure that there is always plenty to look on the stage, whilst the lighting and costume designs flood the stage with colour, adding to the pop-bubblegum feel of the piece.

    Utterly engaging and utterly enjoyable, Hairspray is a musical treat which is so much fun that you will find it hard resist its charms.

    Hairspray is at the Sheffield Lyceum (www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk) until Saturday 3rd February 2018 before continuing on an extensive national tour until 4th August 2018. To book tickets click here.

     

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Strangers on a Train, Sheffield Lyceum

    Strangers on a Train | ★★☆☆☆

    During a chance encounter on a whiskey-soaked train journey, two strangers, Guy Haines, a respected architect and Charles Bruno, a drunken playboy, jokingly plot to commit a murder to assist the other in moving on in their lives. Bruno proposes that Haines kill Bruno’s overbearing father, whilst Bruno himself will kill Haines’ adulterous wife. But what starts out as a drunken joke becomes something more sinister, as Bruno keeps up his end of the bargain and expects Haines to do the same.

    Based on the novel by Particia Highsmith, the narrative of the piece starts promisingly enough, with sufficient threads of the story put forward to generate interest, but the early promise simply isn’t sustained, as the play draws itself out into something over long and turgid, leading to an incredibly dry second act which never even begins to gather momentum.

    Feeding into the dryness of the piece are the performances from the cast which were truly terrible across the board. Jack Ashton is suitably dashing and fares best of the bunch with a rather flat portrayal of Haines, but never comes close to depicting a man whose life is in turmoil as a result of the relentless harassment by Bruno, the murder of his wife or his harboured dark secrets. Chris Harper is just plain irritating rather than menacing, with a pantomime-villain portrayal of Bruno, being more akin to an annoying drunken work colleague at the office party than a scheming manipulator and calculating killer; and Helen Anderson’s over the top histrionics as Elsie Bruno were sharply juxtaposed with the stiff, wooden delivery of Hannah Toiton as Haines’ new wife.

    Anthony Banks’ direction is sadly lacking, and manages to produce a play with no drama, no tension, no menace and no pace. The set, comprising of a series of sliding panels, projections and micro-sets looked lavish and generally worked well, which was the saving grace of the production; but sadly a flashy set design is not enough to prevent this thrill-less thriller from coming off the rails.

    Strangers On A Train is currently at Sheffield Lyceum before continuing on its national tour until 31 March 2018; calling in at Glasgow, Birmingham, Manchester, Woking, Richmond, Cambridge, York, Aylesbury and Cardiff.

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Rent Party – Crucible Theatre, Sheffield

    THEATRE REVIEW | Rent Party – Crucible Theatre, Sheffield

    ★★★★★ |  Rent Party – Crucible Theatre, Sheffield

    You are invited by Stuart, the fiercest, pony-tail-wearing, weave flailing diva this side of the breadline, to his Rent Party, where you get to hear the stories of four young people and decide, in monetary value, what each of their stories deserve. The tales of being a single mother, a strong matriarch, a self-confessed geek and a statuesque, roller-skating voguing sensation are mixed with song, dance and vicious social commentary of what it is like to be young, gifted, black, gay and poor.

    Photo Credit – Sam Taylor

    Part party, part entertainment and part immersive theatre, this is one production which doesn’t hold back on its scathing attack on a society in times of austerity and hits home the harsh reality faced by young people in the community. Debts, social struggles and domestic abuse all feature amongst the stories, as does a host of talent from the five performers. But what makes it more poignant is the fact that these are not actors, but people each telling their own true story.

    Kamille is working in Asda, and struggles as a single mum but doesn’t let this stop her, whereas Lenai talks about her family, led by a strong and confident matriarchy, who put her through dance school; and piano playing AJ has a flair for all things science, and shares stories the love he has for his boyfriend who surprises him on a family holiday. But it is Jason sharing the tale of his escape from a controlling and abusive relationship with his boyfriend which hit the hardest and his recounting of the experience stunned the audience and garnered a genuine emotional response.

    Inspired by the rent parties of Harlem in the 1920’s, where people would host a shin dig to earn their rent money by entertaining their guests, each audience member is given some rent party money to pay the artists what they think their stories and performances are worth; and there are some party favours and a shot or two or liquor thrown in for good measure.

    But it is not all about the struggles. Kamille belts out Fabulous Baby from the Sister Act musical; Leani and AJ charleston and tap dance their way through a fun routine, Jason’s voguing would stand out in any club and Stuart’s bittersweet and enthusiastic party hosting binds the whole thing together.  Add a dance-off, a limbo competition and some party games with the audience, and you have an original and entertaining piece of theatre, with the whole thing having an overarching tinge of being in a gay club in the 80’s.

    Rent party is a fierce, unflinching and uncompromising look at life where race, poverty, sexuality, talent and ambition collide.

    Rent Party is at Sheffield Theatres until the 23rd December 2017. Visit their website for details and tickets.