THEGAYUK

Tag: UK

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Kenny Morgan

    ★★★★ | Kenny Morgan

    One of Terrence Rattigan’s best known and most moving plays, “The Deep Blue Sea”, has a disturbing and fascinating genesis.

    Written in 1952, the play concerns itself with well-to-do Hester who has left her safe but dull marriage for a dashing young airman and is living in desperate poverty, battling depression and rejection. Writing about gay relationships (which were illegal until 1967) would have been taboo and a highly dangerous move so he penned a story that was based on the events that had happened in his life but changed the relationships to heterosexual ones.

    Rattigan’s on and off secret lover of almost ten years, the eponymous Kenny Morgan, left him for a bisexual actor. His once promising film career floundered, his finances dwindled and he slipped into depression, killing himself in 1949.

    The play opens in a worn round the edges Camden Town boarding house. Kenny (Paul Keating) is lying in front of the gas fire having failed to commit suicide. The dank cellar of the Arcola perfectly houses a set that is utterly convincing and is complete with grimy net curtains, frayed carpets and a lingering taint of too many cigarettes smoked. The dialogue follows suit too and feels genuinely late 1940s. The script is a slow burning one and starts with a camp and amusing skittishness with a cast of inquisitive, prurient and concerned neighbours trying to help Kenny. The pace is pitched perfectly and the notes of tragedy soon emerge as Kenny hurtles towards his horrible fate.

    Paul Keating gives a moving performance as the conflicted and disturbed Kenny and is ably supported by a strong cast. Simon Dutton is a suitably suave and rigid Rattigan and Pierro Niel-Mee is Kenny’s rakish yet ultimately sympathetic lover Alec. There’s great comic relief from Marlene Sidaway as his elderly landlady.

    This is essential but sometimes heart breaking viewing and a moving glimpse into a world that seems a lot longer than 67 years ago. Mike Poulton’s skill as a writer is to make it easy for the modern gay man to empathise with the characters and their horrible predicament in a country blighted by anti-Semitism and misunderstanding of mental illness that was a potentially ruinous place for a gay man. However, he presents a more rounded view of the era also where alongside prejudice and bigotry there were pockets of sympathy, warmth and tolerance too. Difficult as Kenny’s life seems and as taut as Rattigan’s predicament was, it’s also comforting to see that there were ways of living under and around the law.

    Kenny Morgan plays at the Arcola Theatre until the 18th June

    @chrisb715

  • Why Is The Government So Interested In Our Porn Habits?

    Why Is The Government So Interested In Our Porn Habits?

    Thousands of innocent people in the UK could be incriminated and face jail time because of the Government’s “draconian” porn laws.

    CREDIT: ©-lofilolo-Depositphotos

    CREDIT: ©-lofilolo-Depositphotos

    A new report reveals that thousands of innocent porn consumers and in particular gay men could find themselves facing jail time because of the UK’s laws surrounding porn consumption.

    The Adam Smith Institute who released the report are calling on David Cameron to abandon the “absurd” pornographic laws. The report argues that there is no concrete evidence that pornography increases cases of sexual violence, and that the laws – designed to convict paedophiles and necrophiliacs – are so broad that they threaten the private sexual matters of over half of Britain.

    The report suggests that obscenity law needs to be redrafted as the current legislation is so sweeping that even those who receive unsolicited images on Whatsapp, for example, could find themselves charged with possession of extreme pornographic images.

    What are the UK’s porn laws?

    In December 2014 pornography produced in the UK was subject to strict rules. The types of scenes which studios could film were severely restricted with an amendment to the 2003 Communications Act.

    Some of the activities banned by the Conservative government could overtly affect the porn consumption of gay men in the UK – including those who watch BDSM, rimming (facesitting) and fisting.

    The two latter viewed by the BBFC as potentially “life endangering”.

    A  list of banned scenes in the UK was drawn up by the Independent and includes:

    Spanking

    Caning

    Aggressive whipping

    Penetration by any object “associated with violence”

    Physical or verbal abuse (regardless of  if consensual)

    Urolagnia (known as “water sports”)

    Role-playing as non-adults

    Physical restraint

    Humiliation

    Female ejaculation

    Strangulation

    Facesitting

    Fisting

    A survey by the British Sexual Fantasy research Project in 2007,  of 19,000 adults in the UK, found that 86% of men and 56% of women admitted to having viewed pornography, with a third of adults fantasising about playing a dominant or aggressive role during sex, and a third fantasising about being submissive.

     

    ALSO READ: The UK’s Government refuses to ban gay cure treatments

    ALSO READ: The UK Government UTurns On Poppers Ban

     

    Six per cent of UK adults, or approximately 2.9 million men and women, admitted to privately having violent sexual fantasies of some kind, meaning that hundreds of thousands of normal people who pose no specific risk of committing sexual offences could be targeted as criminals under the extreme porn law.

    Sam Bowman, Executive Director of the Adam Smith Institute said,

    “Most people don’t want the government in their bedrooms, but that’s what extreme porn laws do. This report highlights just how bad these laws really are – they turn millions of law-abiding adults into potential criminals simply for enjoying consensual spanking or dressing up in the bedroom. The evidence is very clear that pornography does not drive violence, and indeed it may reduce it. These are badly drafted laws that should never have made it to the statute books, and this report confirms the urgent need for the government to scrap them.”

     

    Nick Cowen, author of the paper said,

    “The extreme porn ban criminalises depictions of sex acts even if they are safely performed by consenting adults. We have seen the law used, in particular, to target and expose gay men. Each such case represents a personal tragedy and a disgraceful use of our criminal justice system’s scarce resources. The costs of the law are disproportionate to any public benefit, and as implemented cannot plausibly protect women’s interests for which the ban was supposedly introduced.”

  • THEATRE REVIEW | King Lear

    ★★★ Intense, cathartic, but lacked a punch.

    “But I am bound upon a wheel of fire, that mine own tears do scald like moulten lead” – King Lear

    The story, written by Shakespeare between 1604 and1606, depicts the tragedy of a family who lose trust, compassion, and all for the material gain of land. Those who are good of heart suffer the most and unspeakable tragedy befalls them. When Lear’s oldest two daughters plot to usurp him from his thrown, it is a wayward journey where no traveller returns.

    Talawa Theatre Company and the Royal Exchange Theatre present a moment in theatre that is both harrowing and compelling. From powerful performances by Don Warrington (Lear), Philip Whitchurch (Earl of Gloucester), and Alfred Enoch (Edgar); to an ambitious set that delivered surprises and was thematic with the shape of a circle that glowed like a ‘wheel of fire.’

    Don was very convincing as the King with strong tones of authority, madness, and sensitivity; the second half particularly, Don commanded with emotion and powerfully delivered ‘howl, howl, howl’ whilst carrying a dead Cordelia in his arms. Philip portrayed Gloucester with sincerity and truth, which made his tragic scene even more difficult to watch. His speeches and dialogue were very eloquent and combined with the emotion, galvanised the role to a very high standard. Alfred, who most will recognise from playing Dean Thomas in the Harry Potter franchise, gave an electric performance as Edgar/Poor Tom with physicality that was moving, edgy, and kept your eyes glued to the stage. The way in which he portrayed Poor Tom when he transitioned was fantastic in terms of the acrobatic movement and flair of speech delivery. It was a shame they cut Poor Tom’s speech about him becoming Poor Tom. It was also a pity that the Fool’s speech about the end of the world was cut, which would have contributed to the apocalyptic feel of King Lear. But then again, I am not sure Miltos Yerolemou (Fool) would have handled it as well as he did his comedy. His comedic timing was brilliant, but the scenes in the wilderness were a little lacklustre, in terms of line delivery and truth.

    King Lear1

    Though there were some great moments, there were others that took away from key scenes, and therefore spoiled the play overall. Unfortunately, Pepter Lunkese who played Cordelia was overly shout-y and whiny, and not much of her in the play, which made it hard for the audience to feel sad for her death at the end, even though Don’s lamentation was sublime.

    The key disappointment for me was the ‘camp’ portrayal of Oswald. I thought we had come a long way since portraying characters as camp for the purpose of seeking a cheap laugh from the audience, or as a device for a character to come across evil. It was both offensive and shocking to see.

    King Lear plays at the Birmingham Rep  until 28th May

  • Theatre Review | Flowers For Mrs Harris – Crucible Theatre

    ★★★★ | Mrs Harris is a post-war charlady and widow, struggling with austerity and living a life of the mundane, until, that is, she stumbles across a Christian Dior dress in the wardrobe of a wealthy client she cleans for. Obsessed with owning such a thing of beauty, she works and saves for the dress, and finally journeys to Paris, where she realises what really makes her happy.

    Photo Credit – Johan Persson

    The show is adapted from the novella by Paul Gallico and is presented, in the main, as a sing-through musical. The show is a muted affair, but benefits immensely from its style and presentation. The set is a sparse affair; a monotone of grey with scant scenery. There are no big production numbers or show stopping moments and there is a limited but talented cast. But what this provides in exchange is an abundance of intimacy and emotion; a heart-warming tale with characters you can emotionally invest in and a central character who is, quite frankly, nothing special, but actually, doesn’t need to be.

    The story is one of investment of kindness in others; and of letting go. Mrs Harris’ determination to own the dress of her dreams, to bring glamour and beauty into her uneventful life, is laced with a poignancy which somehow manages to celebrate the ordinary. Written and composed by Richard Taylor and Rachel Wagstaff, the show carries with it a sense of tradition, having a real air of an old fashioned musical. Even the songs, which are all brand new, sound somehow familiar and there is warmth resonating from the production as a whole which adds to its seasoned feel.

    Clare Burt’s portrayal of Mrs Harris is tender and down to earth, whilst it is Anna-Jane Casey as Vera, Mrs Harris’ best friend, who steals her scenes; and Lois Maskill is in fine voice throughout in the dual roles of Bob and Andre. Director, Daniel Evans, makes a low key finale to his tenure at Sheffield Theatres, and it is somewhat fitting that his swan song is about the impact of giving to others.

    With gentle references to My Fair Lady and It’s A Wonderful Life; and just a hint of Pretty Woman; Flowers for Mrs Harris is unashamedly sentimental with an emotional ending to a story of love, loss, rebirth and finding out what really counts in life.

    Flowers for Mrs Harris has just had its world première at the Crucible Theatre, Sheffield and plays until 4th June 2016. Visit www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk for details or call the box office on 0114 249 6000.

     

     

  • Everything You Need To Know About Birmingham Pride

    Everything You Need To Know About Birmingham Pride

    Birmingham Pride happens this weekend and thousands of people will be filling up the city to celebrate LGBTI life.

    (C) ArenaPhotoUK-bigstock

    (C) ArenaPhotoUK-bigstock

    Birmingham Pride is held over the spring bank holiday – this year that falls on the 28th and 29th May. For two days Birmingham City centre will give way to one of the UK’s biggest pride events, with over 2600 people apparently taking part in the parade.

    Where does Birmingham Pride Parade Begin?

    The Birmingham Pride parade starts off at Victoria Square at 12.00pm (noon) on Saturday 28th May.

    What Route will the Birmingham Pride Parade Take?

    Leaving Victoria Square, the parade will travel down New Street and left onto High street. It will then turn right at Carrs Lane and right again on to Smallbrook Queensway. The parade will then turn left onto Hurst Street until it reaches the Pride festival site.

    The Festival

    The Pride festival kicks off from 12:45PM until 12:00AM and then from 1PM till midnight on Sunday. Entry to the festival is by wristband only. After 8pm only attendees over the age of 18 will be permitted to enter the festival area. Under 18s already within the site are permitted to stay, but if they leave they will not be allowed reentry.

    You can still watch the parade if you don’t have a wristband.

    To buy a wristband click here.

    Tickets cost £33.55 / £37.95 for a weekend pass or £23.65 for Saturday or £19.80 for Sunday.

    Concessions are priced at £15.40 to £17.60.

    Who’s Performing At Birmingham Pride?

    Fleur East, Katy B, Lawson, Liberty X and Lucy Spraggan are just some of the names confirmed to perform on the Saturday. Sunday’s performers are confirmed to include Andy Bell, DJ Fresh, Lisa Stansfield, MNEK, Blonde, Vengaboys, Karen Harding and Stooshe

    Where to stay?

    TheGayUK recommends both the Hotel Du Vin and La Tour Hotel.

     

  • Theatre Review | Priscillia – Queen of the Desert – National Tour

    ★★★★ Priscilla Queen of the Desert | In this joyous musical based on the cult film of the same name, three drag queens “unplug their curling wands and go bush” to travel across the outback; as they bitch, bicker and laugh their way across the desert en route to a show in a casino in Alice Springs.

    The trio continuously ensure that they are looking their best whilst “dressing up in women’s clothing and mouthing the words to other people’s songs” as they fall in love, cement their friendship and learn about life on the way to the show of their lives.

    Following the story of the cult film fairly closely (albeit it with some minor changes) it was a show which is unashamedly flamboyant. The show uses a combination of gay club disco classics, including “I Will Survive”, “I Love the Nightlife”, “Go West” and “Finally”, meaning that the whole audience were clapping, cheering and laughing from the moment the curtain went up.

    In terms of the cast, Jason Donvan was functional as Tick, and poked a little fun at his Neighbours days, but played the part with a little bit too much camp, watering down the interplay between the straight laced Tick and outrageous Adam, whereas Simon Green filled the stiletto’s of Bernadette perfectly, with a rounded, character filled performance. The supporting cast were, as you would expect, ludicrously attractive and threw themselves into the musical numbers with energy and gusto.

    The whole thing was colourful, exuberant and thoroughly entertaining with a sharp, funny script, including many of the quotable lines from the movie and all of the characters  that you know and love from the film (including good ol’ Shirl). But where the show really came into its own was in the musical numbers, taking some from the film and adding some new ones just for the show. The routines were over the top, bold, brassy and ballsy, with costumes to match (flip flop dress, anyone?). Everything from dancing paintbrushes, lizards, Marie Antoinette’s, Ostriches and scantily clad, leather wearing dancers were all on stage in a dazzling spectacular.

    If you haven’t seen the show, then go and treat yourself. If you have, then go again, even if it is to spot a few changes in the production this time around, (although not all of them work – especially ditching It’s Raining Men as the opening number). There is an underlying message of acceptance in society and strength in friendship underneath it all, but it is smothered in a thick layer of campness and kitch which plants the show firmly in realms of the feelgood musical.

    Overall, this was a really great, fun show and a piece of feel-good, uplifting and ultimately heart-warming theatre which has its tongue firmly lodged in its cheek. It’s a real feast for the eyes, the ears, the heart, the soul and the funny bone.

    Priscilla is currently at Sheffield Lyceum Theatre until May 28th 2016 (www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk) before continuing on it’s national tour. See www.priscillathemusical.com for details.

     

  • THEATRE REVIEW | The Sins of Jack Saul

    ★★★★ | The Sins Of Jack Saul

    The Above the Stag Theatre is now presenting the new musical ‘The Sins of Jack Saul.’ Well who is Jack Saul you might ask?

    Jack Saul was a male prostitute in London who went by the name ‘Dublin Jack,’ because he was from Dublin. He left for London at the age of 22 and wasn’t sure what to find there. He eventually fell into prostitution and was involved in two major homosexual scandals. For it being the late 1800s, homosexuality was scandalous and even criminal behaviour.

    But what made Jack Saul famous (or infamous if you will) was his involvement with a lieutenant in the Irish army, and working in a male brothel in London – at 19 Cleveland Street (which in itself was a musical at the Stag called ‘Cleveland Street – The Musical‘) . So ‘The Sins of Jack Saul’ tell his interesting and scandalous life through song and a bit of dance, and a helpful narration by the devil (provided by the handsome yet evil looking Michael Gonsalves).

    It’s a typical production for Above the Stag, and through this production we get to learn who Saul is and what were his sins.

    ‘The Sins of Jack Saul’ is based on the book ’The Sins of Jack Saul – the True Story of Dublin Jack and The Cleveland Street Scandal’ by Scottish playwright Glenn Chandler.

    Saul is played by Jack McCann, who is very good and believable. We get to relive his life, his life back home in Ireland with his mother (Felicity Duncan, who also plays other roles, including a French Prostitute) and his disapproving brother (Ciaran Bowling – who also geniously plays Lieutenant KIrwan – the army officer Saul gets involved with).

    We see Saul become an in-demand call boy – sleeping with very important people, including Lord Euston (David Mullen), a relationship that would eventually be the catalyst for the downfall of the brothel, and for Jack. ‘The Sins of Jack Saul’ is set to music, with appropriate songs to match the plot (‘I Always Wanted a Man in Uniform’ and ‘Pornography’) being a couple of the standouts.

    ‘The Sins of Jack Saul’ is a satirical romp through the eyes of one of London’s most notorious rent boys.

    The Sins Of Jack Saul plays at Above The Stag until 12 th June 2016

  • THEATRE REVIEW | This Is Living

    ★★★★ | This Is Living

    Alice and Michael are soaking wet and alone in a field by a river at night. Alice can’t remember what bought them there and wants to go home. The problem is that Alice can’t go back again and the big question is what bought them to this point.

    CREDIT: Alex Harvey-Brown

     

    Liam Borrett’s exploration of grief and loss is very impressive. The real achievement isn’t the story itself or the dissection of the aftermath of tragedy but in the characterisation. Alice and Michael are a couple in their late twenties, married with a young daughter. You almost certainly know them. Alice is outspoken, wilful and brimming with unrealised ambition. Michael is a little gauche and awkward and completely in awe of Alice. Michael Socha (E4’s Aliens, This Is England, Being Human) and Tamla Kari (The Inbetweener’s Movie, The Musketeers) are remarkably good and both give robust and forceful performances.

    We see their lives together through a series of potent and cleverly inter-cut flashbacks: their clumsy first meeting on a bus via drunken nights and bad dancing after a lot of Echo Falls, through to the news that Alice is carrying the baby that Michael so desperately wanted. The beauty of the characters is how familiar and ordinary they feel and the celebration of how seemingly ordinary people have extraordinary traits and fascinating stories within the routine of daily life. Sarah Beaton’s waterlogged set leaves the viewer feeling cold and damp and clever sound and lighting design allows for the brisk flow back and forth between past and present.

    The play has a lot of funny moments and Kari’s depiction of Alice’s seemingly brash Northern charm complements Socha’s devastating but understated portrayal of Michael’s ungainliness. The script is tight with a few minor slack moments. The painful subject matter is depicted with charm and grace and rarely feels unbearable but is still devastating and painful to watch.

    The play seemed to initially lose focus slightly after the interval but soon regained the mood and may perhaps have been carried better as a one-act piece. Nevertheless, this is an incredibly powerful piece of theatre and a chance to see two very talented actors realise the potential of a beautiful script. This is also Socha’s West End debut. He stated in a recent interview that he was feeling nervous. He needn’t have worried.

    This Is Living plays at The Trafalgar Studios until 11th June

     

    @chrisb715

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Northern Ballet’s Jane Eyre

    ★★★ |  Northern Ballet’s Jane Eyre

    In an adaptation of Charlotte Bronte’s iconic novel, Jane Eyre is an orphan who is treated cruelly by her Aunt and sent to an institute for young girls. From there, she moves to work at Thornfield Manor as a governess and swiftly falls in love with her employer, Mr Rochester. But the Manor House harbours dark secrets, and as their love grows, Jane’s independence and fiery temperament surfaces as those secrets are revealed.

    Trying to cram the complex and multi-layered classic novel into a 100 minute ballet was always going to be a difficult challenge, and one which choreographer Cathy Marson takes on with confidence.  The staging of the ballet itself is inventive, with the use of curtains which are moved and positioned across the stage to effectively and cleverly convey both the confines of Thornfield Manor House and the sweeping moors.

    At times the choreography was beautifully done, leaning far more towards the contemporary rather than the traditional, with a lot of delicate lifts, floor work and precise movement, contrasting moments of tender intimacy with complex ensemble pieces. Both Dreda Blow and Javier Torres’ performances were more than noteworthy and displayed their professional competence; whilst overall, the supporting company’s movements were of their usual high quality.

    Whilst the technical excellence of the company meant foot sure and stumble-free performances, the production did falter slightly over the issues of narrative and characterisation. The novel itself portrays so many aspects of Jane’s life, and the ballet hits most of the significant events, but with so much to cover within so little time, the narrative felt rushed, superficial and unclear; whereas the characterisations were not as clearly defined as one would hope, leading to further confusion.

    Overall, adapting Jaye Eyre is a huge task and one which is beautifully staged and performed, but the juxtaposition of the contemporary dance and the period setting, coupled with the rushed narrative amounts to a production which is enjoyable, but doesn’t quite come together to be more than the sum of its parts.

    Jane Eyre had its world premiere at CAST Theatre, Doncaster; who hosts a varied range of performances. Visit their website at www.castindoncaster.com for full details. Northern Ballet is currently touring Jane Eyre, with productions of 1984, Romeo & Juliet, Wuthering Heights and Beauty and the Beast to follow later on this year. Visit www.northernballet.com for details.

     

  • Is This Homophobic? Butcher Advertises “No Drama Queens” Job

    Is This Homophobic? Butcher Advertises “No Drama Queens” Job

    A shop owner in London has been criticised for the language used in a description advert for a job in his shop.

    CREDIT: William Rose

    A butcher in London has been criticised after an advertisement for a job appeared in his window, where he asked that ‘no drama queens’ or ‘Mummy’s boys’ apply.

    William Rose, 60, said that he had advertised the job for Saturday staff  in his East Dulwich butchers for one month – but had received little interest in the position, but when he put the hand written poster in the window, he received 18 applications in one day.

    Along with no ‘Mummy’s boys’ or ‘Drama queens’ Mr Rose also doesn’t want ’emotional wrecks’ or ‘scruffs’ to apply for the shop position.

    Speaking on BBC London Mr Rose defended the advert by saying that previous potential employees had smelt of drink and had struggled to talk to customers, but that he had managed to find a suitable applicant – “a very smart young lad with a little family to keep”.

    According to Mr Rose, the advert was “just for fun” but an employment lawyer had told him that, “‘You can’t put mummy’s boys you have to put mummy’s persons’.

    The term drama queen is considered by some in the gay community as a pejorative term and highly homophobic.

    So do you think it’s homophobic or sexiest?

  • And The Most Attractive British Accent Is?

    And The Most Attractive British Accent Is?

    The UK has a multitude of accents from Glaswegian to Brummie. But which one has been voted the most attractive?

    Is Alan Cumming’s accent the sexiest?

    Research carried out by YouGov in April, has shown that “Scottish” accents are the most attractive in the UK, leaving RP (received pronunciation – that’s the standard British accent – think BBC newsreaders and the home counties) in second and Welsh in third. The accents were voted, 20 per cent, 18 per cent and 11 per cent respectively.

    Unfortunately for those living in the Midlands or Essex, the Brummie accent and the Towie accent didn’t place well – each received just 1 per cent of the vote.

    Far outweighing the preference was the ‘don’t knowers’ and ‘don’t carers’ – 29 per cent of whom said they couldn’t give a flying monkey’s what accent was most attractive.

    Don’t Know 29%

    Scottish 20%

    RP 18%

    Welsh 11%

    West Country 10%

    Northern Ireland 8%

    Mancunian 3%

    Essex 1%

    Brummie 1%

    The research doesn’t expand on which Scottish or Welsh accents are the most attractive.

    What do you think – use the poll below