THEGAYUK

Tag: UK

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Showboat

    ★★★★ | Showboat

    It’s a show that’s older than you and me. It’s a show that has stood the test of time. It’s ‘Showboat‘ and its back in London.

    Credit – Johan Persson

    Now playing at London’s New London Theatre on Drury Lane, it’s a spectacular recreation of the show that had its first performance in 1927 in New York, staged by Oscar Hammerstein II. Yes, that’s how old this show is, almost a century, and it’s new production shows that ‘Showboat’ has got sea legs.

    If you don’t know the story, ‘Showboat’ is a show that is made of two parts. The first part is where we get introduced to the boat (called ‘Cotton Blossom’ which is spectacularly recreated on stage), it’s a boat that’s used to put on shows. It’s captained by Andy Hawks (Malcolm Sinclair) with a cast of whites and a crew of blacks. Captain Hawks’ single and carefree daughter Magnolia (Gina Beck) works on the boat, and it’s there where she meets and falls for the handsome yet mysterious Gaylord Ravenal (Chris Peluso). They get married and eventually have a daughter, but it’s the second act that gets dark. You see, Gaylord’s a gambling addict, can’t control his addiction, and can’t support his family, especially after they move to Chicago and have a baby girl. The lifestyle they knew and loved on the boat becomes a distant memory. As the years roll on, she and Gaylord split, and he disappears. But eventually her family and friends rally around her. It’s all told in great musical style with a cast that has loads of talent.

    The original London production opened in May, 1928 at the Theatre Royal on Drury Lane. It came back in 1971, and then again in 1998 at the Prince Edward Theatre. There was a short-lived production in 2006 at the Royal Albert Hall, and now it’s back for a new generation to see and it has not lost its life.

    Classic songs such as ‘Ol’ Man River’ (sung by Emmanuel Kojo) to ‘Can’t Help Lovin’ Dat Man’ (sung by an ensemble of the woman) are given new life by the singers. It’s the very talented cast, chief among them Beck, Peluso, and Danny Collins as a fellow performer, and Sinclair, who stand out.

    Masterfully directed by Daniel Evens, with lots of great musical numbers including entire ensemble dance routines, this ‘Showboat’ is a must see, especially in the New London Theatre where every seat in the house is a good seat.

    Showboat plays at the New London Theatre

  • RESTAURANT REVIEW | Jamboree Foodfest & Bar

    Opening a burger/foodfest restaurant and bar with a sizeable backroom complete with stage for live music in a space joined onto a Novotel hotel might not seem like the most conventional of pairings.  But Jamboree on Blackfriars Road SE1 is a breath of rainbow-bunting fresh air for the borough of Southwark.

    Don’t be put off by the French, mid-range hotel brand’s corporate exterior.  The building is accessorised with a fun red neon Jamboree sign and their colourful interior can be seen from across the traffic-magnet main road.

    Once inside you’ll feel as though you’ve walked into a London take on a barn dance bar.  High ceilings laden with multicoloured bunting and exposed vintage bulbs, bare wood beams, walls, floor and tables.  A clean spit-without-the-sawdust gaff.  We approve.

    To wet our whistles we were pointed towards these two bad-boys:

    Fire Apple:  Fireball cinnamon whisky, cloudy apple juice, bitters and ginger beer.  It was like pouring an energetic San Francisco Stomp down the gullet where all the participants were hot-footing it in cinnamon-laced cowboy boots.  Not too sweet and plenty of yeehaw from the bitters and ginger.

    Knees Up: Blackwoods gin, basil, lemon, apple and ginger.  A few defuser reeds and this imbibe could easily freshen up the mustiest of rooms.  If TheGayUK owned a five-star luxury spa, the Knees Up would replace the complimentary cucumber water.  An abundance of herby, floral and citrus notes.

    We sampled three burgers, all of which were sandwiched in white, spongy, slightly sweet buns.

    Maryland soft shell crab burger: a sugar-paper texture followed by light fishy candy-esque meat.  Claw-icious.

    Racing Bull Argentina beef burger with chimichurri: succulent, gamey and moreish beef elevated by the parsley, garlic and punches of vinegar from the chimichurri – a burger worth saddling up for.

    The Yucatan veggie burger: a smooth sombrero-sporting falafeley filling with a hint of oregano.  My pulse-and-prune-eating pal polished off the lot, but it’s not for everyone.

    Thursday evenings, Jamboree will be filling their stage with live music.  The bar has been set high after hearing the five-piece band Gatsby – http://www.gatsbyband.co.uk – performing their own takes on Bieber, Bruno Mars and Coldplay – we almost buckaroo-ed out of our chairs and threw our stetsons in the air.

    With cocktails at only £7.95 and a decent burger for £13.95, we suggest you jump on the bandwagon.

    REVIEWED BY: Thabian Sutherland
    ADDRESS: Jamboree London Blackfriars, 46 Blackfriars Road, SE1 8NZ, LONDON
    WEBSITE: https://jamboree.co.uk
    PRICE: £££ (explained)
    RATING:  ★★★★ (explained)

  • Is London’s New Mayor Sadiq Khan Gay Friendly?

    London has a new Mayor in the form of Sadiq Khan. We find out what his pro-gay credentials are.

    Is Sadiq Khan gay friendly?

    Winning over 1.3 million votes Sadiq Khan has become London’s new mayor. He took nearly 57% of the votes. So we’ve decided to look at just how LGBTI friendly Sadiq is.

    Voting as an MP.

    Sadiq Khan is the MP for Tooting in London. During his term in office he has, according to theyworkforyou.com,  “almost always voted for equal gay rights.”

    In 2007 he voted Yes on the Equality Act (Sexual Orientation), in 2013 he voted in favour of allowing same-sex couples to marry – but was absent for its third reading.

    In 2014, he voted to “enable the courts to deal with proceedings for the divorce of, or annulment of the marriage of, a same-sex couple” and in 2015 he voted to make “same-sex marriage available to armed forces personnel outside the UK.”

    9/10

    NEXT :HIS INTERACTION WITH THE COMMUNITY

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Saucy Jack and the Space Vixens

    ★★ | Saucy Jack and the Space Vixens

    CREDIT: Will_Frost

    Saucy Jack and the Space Vixens is billed as an inter-galactic disco extravaganza that explodes all around you. Well something exploded, or backfired. Think all-singing, trying-to-dance Battlestar Galactica meets Mad Max, throw in some glitter, silver lamé and a few other odds and sods from another solar-system’s secondhand dressing-up box.

    In amongst magnetosphere-of-madness is a wannabe poet cosmic Cyclops, a zodiac German doctor impersonator, a metallic-headed basque-sporting Medusa with two klingons in tow – the vixen trio. And thrust into the starlight as if she just landed from another planet, Chesty Prospects (Sophie Cordwell James): imagine Cheryl Fernandez-Versini trying to pull-off ‘fierce’, with a live vocal performance wearing a studded bra and stardust. Light years from close.

    Confused? So were we. There’s a serial killer, and these super-fashion crime-fighters from a groovier galaxy with a mission to fight crime and liberate the universe harnessing the Power of Disco. Or, a dark-matter Rocky-Horror-esque disco blended with a whole sphere of amateur cabaret.

    The production lifted off quite well but gravity kicked in and it landed flat on Uranus. The concept is fun but the stage time could have been halved, and for some, more rehearsal time added.

    Saucy Jack and the Space Vixens  plays at The Kingshead Theatre until 21st May

  • NHS Will Cover The Cost Of PEP But Will It Stretch To PrEP

    NHS England have confirmed responsibility for funding post exposure prophylaxis (PEP), a treatment that can prevent HIV infection after the virus has entered a person’s body.

    (C) marcbruxel Depositphotos
    (C) marcbruxel Depositphotos

    However, the battle continues to see NHS England accept the same responsibility for funding PrEP – a game-changing treatment that is taken before exposure to HIV. Earlier this year NHS England shelved structured plans for PrEP availability on the NHS, but then last week said they “will carefully consider its position on commissioning PrEP”.

    Ian Green, Chief Executive at Terrence Higgins Trust, said:

    “We are pleased that NHS England has finally been clear on their responsibility for reimbursing local authorities for antiretroviral drugs used to prevent HIV infection after exposure to the virus.

    “What remains to be seen is whether they will accept the same responsibility for funding PrEP, a pill taken once a day by HIV negative people who are at high risk to prevent transmission.

    “Every day that access to PrEP is delayed, seven men who have sex with men are infected with HIV, despite advances in HIV prevention. We need answers from NHS England on if and when access to PrEP will be available to those who are at highest risk. Only then can NHS England make a full commitment to HIV prevention.”

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Abominations

    THEATRE REVIEW | Abominations

    ★★ | Abominations

    CREDIT: Robert Piwko / www.robertpiwko.co.uk

    CREDIT: Robert Piwko / www.robertpiwko.co.uk

    Jeff is a married man with a fetish for wrestling. He’s walked out on his religious but shrewish wife and is hiding out in his hometown in southern England where he’s having a fumble with grieving youngster Malcolm. By coincidence, Malcolm’s boss is Jeff’s Biblical claptrap spouting father.

    Is a play about a secretly gay married man still relevant in 2016? Sadly it is. It’d be naïve to think that being gay in contemporary British society was accepted by everyone and that gay men weren’t still suppressing their sexuality and trying to hide in plain sight. Any foray into gay life will tell you that the phenomenon of the closeted gay man is still very much present. You can’t spend more than five minutes on a hook-up app, the Internet or in a sauna without tripping over a married man or two. The issues in the play are still prevalent. Gay men might be able to marry and public opinion might have moved on but people are still prejudiced and still spout obscure parts of religious tracts to justify this. Some people are still so affected by the prejudices of others that they suppress their natures and try to be things that they aren’t.

    In spite of this there’s something dated feeling about “Abominations”.

    The problem with the play isn’t the subject matter but the dialogue and characterisation. Whilst Jeff feels generally convincingly drawn and credible, his wife feels like a two-dimensional throwback to a dated sit-com. Malcolm is an earnest ukulele-playing buffoon who reveals few other character traits than naivety and rather than endearing, is more of an irritant. The dialogue is stilted and quaint at times. Scenes are short with awkward shuffling pauses. In spite of some well-drawn sections the sum of the play is much less than its parts and fails to gel. The comedy often falls flat and sits awkwardly with the more intense and better-written scenes.

    The saving grace of the piece has to be the stunning central performance from Alexander Hulme as Jeff. He handles the part with style, imbuing the character with credibility and hinting at the shifting emotional landscape of a man unravelling. He’s all swagger and brittle chav charm but manages to give glimpses of something deeper and darker with a softer core. He’s also very easy on the eye and displays a lot of flesh that distracts the viewer. In the midst of the play there are some genuinely moving scenes between Jeff and his father and Gary Heron displays some fine acting that ably supports Hulme in his role.

    This is definitely a play that had potential and there are glimpses of unrealised style and impact. The well-written lines stand out and there are scenes that have real power. Sadly, the finished overall product felt almost as tired and lacklustre as the location of the theatre: Camden High Street.

    Abominations plays at the Etcetera Theatre Until the 29th of May 2016

     

     

     

     

  • THEATRE REVIEW | The Father, Birmingham Rep

    ★★★★★ | Delicately humorous and emotionally charged.

    (more…)

  • Boyfriends Suffer Brutal “Homophobic” Attack Leaving One Of Them Fearing For His Sight

    Boyfriends Suffer Brutal “Homophobic” Attack Leaving One Of Them Fearing For His Sight

    A gay man in Brighton has opened up about a vicious assault to him and his boyfriend in Brighton, he says left him battered and fearing for the sight in his left side.

    (more…)

  • Eurovision Ban On Welsh Flag Causes Outrage

    Eurovision Ban On Welsh Flag Causes Outrage

    Organisers of the Eurovision Song Contest have been criticised by the Welsh Lib Dems after the Welsh flag was banned.

    (more…)

  • RESTAURANT REVIEW | Del’Aziz Bermondsey Square

    RESTAURANT REVIEW | Del’Aziz Bermondsey Square

    Not every restaurant in the Old Smoke can claim to reside on top of medieval and Roman ruins, an 18th-century burial ground and an Abbey that once rivaled Westminster’s. Del’Aziz is tucked away in the corner of a smart seven-year-old development that was once occupied by Bermondsey Abbey.

    Del’Aziz Bermondsey Square

    Any eatery in proximity to hipster hangout Bermondsey Street has to be worth their weight in black habits. The trendy-Wendy haunt is lined with uber-cool coffee-houses, contemporary cocktail bars, and bustling bistros, most of which have standards as high as St Mary Magdalen church’s steeple.

    You can see why Middle East and Eastern Mediterranean restaurant Del’Aziz have given themselves quite a substantial nip-and-tuck to keep up with the ever-growing destination boulevard.

    Del’Aziz’s boasts a bar, bakery, and restaurant, which is where we were seated.  The dining area is a mix of turquoise walls, an empire-style chandelier in line with boutique five-armed crystal-drop chandeliers, pink, patent, plastic pillars and lime green chairs.  Had we side stepped into a GymBox spin studio or Jane Fonda’s boudoir circa 1983?  An identity is missing.

    We were chuffed the place wasn’t chocker as the tables either side of us would have learnt a thing of two about girthy u-bends.  My dining compadre’s home bathroom refurb was a hot topic.  A wee bit more space between tables would be nice.

    On recommendation, we kicked proceedings off with a couple of mojitos. When the drinkies arrived we were informed not to stir in the dark rum head thus giving us something to look forward to on the last few slurps. Not overpowered by mint, with enough lime to balance the sugar – the rum top worked.

    To get a sense of the full Middle East experience a mezze platter for two seemed appropriate. Hummus – sesame-esque with a good consistency.  Tzatziki – understated and fresh. Lamb boreck – a clear winner on the board – sweet, cumin-laced lamb wrapped in a crisp and oily filo pastry, the best roll we’d had in a while. Meatballs in a tomato sauce – more flavour in a Bic biro lid – bland. And merguez sausages – heavily packed with chili pepper and harissa shadowing the cumin but a decent banger all the same.

    To accompany the main our waiter lead us in the direction of Northern Italy with a bottle of Poderosa Monte Santu Il Vino Del Pane 2010.  Good choice – dry, full-bodied and energetic with light tannin – a chic racy number.

    For our mains: for me, grilled lamb steak, ‘imam bayildi’ aubergines. The steak was beautifully seared and tender. The gamey flavours were enhanced by onions, garlic, and figs permeating from the aubergines. And for my chum, chicken tagine, preserved lemons, carrot confit, olives and steamed couscous. As soon as the terracotta lid was lifted the citrus aromas could have unblocked the nastiest of bunged up honkers. Sadly, that’s where the excitement ended. The olives were limp and the chicken was cumbersome – it was like eating a Korma without the cream – now where’s the fun in that?

    Del’Aziz Bermondsey Square2

    Del’Aziz’s team are polite, chirpy and well suited to the Bermo-contempo borough.

    The bar area lacked any intimate nooks or segregated sections. But what the bar didn’t have in cosy alcoves it made up for in history. You can still see remains of the Benedictine monastery through the glass tiled floor – worth a butchers.

    To choose your pud you have to walk through the restaurant, past the loos, bar, and kitchen to the ‘bakery’ and choose your bake. This did not please my dining chum – the last time he walked past a kitchen was in Kensington Olympia at Grand Designs Live – he knows there’s one in his house because he overheard the chamber maid make reference to a room with an Aga. A pudding menu might well be in order.

    We shared a pink choc meringue and a blueberry crumb cake. The white with pink swirled meringue would have been better suited as headpiece or bulbous fascinator for Sydney Mardi Gras – maybe that’s where it came from? It was as dry as a cracked heel and missing the chocolate. The cake shared the same attributes and not a berry in sight – they must have caught the same flight.

    A meal for two won’t blow all ya spendies, not all the cakes are wearable and hanging with the Bermo-bohems ain’t such a drag.  Let’s just hope that Del’A hasn’t lost her zizzzzzzz.

     

    REVIEWED BY: Thabian Sutherland
    ADDRESS: Del’Aziz, 11 Bermondsey Square, London SE1 3UN
    TELEPHONE: 020 7407 2991
    EMAIL: bermondsey@delaziz.co.uk
    Price Rating: £££ (Explained)
    Star Rating: ★★★ (Explained)
    Tipping Policy: 12.5% discretionary tip will be added to your bill.

  • Hi-De-Hi Star Barry Howard Dies, 78

    The actor Barry Howard behind one of British comedy’s campest characters Barry Stuart-Hargreaves in Hi-De-Hi! has passed away at the age of 78.

    The actor Barry Howard has passed away at the age of 78. He died from blood cancer.  The actor’s harry Clark agent confirmed the news to the BBC.

    Taking to Twitter she said that she would miss him more than she could say.

    Mr.Howard appeared in the first seven series of Hi-de-Hi! which ran from 1980-86, he played a camp married ballroom dancer.

    The character Barry Stuart-Hargreaves was often the source of ‘is he or isn’t he’ gay jokes on the sitcom. It was never confirmed whether the character was gay or not and Mr Howard left the show after seven series.

    During an interview with The Northern Echo in 2010, he said,

    “I have found it, in all honesty, frustrating because I am, after all, an actor. Casting people always wanted a similar limp-wristed rather fey ‘is he or isn’t he?’ character and I got bored with it all,”

    His on-screen wife Diane Holland also died at the age of 78 in 2009.

    The actor had performed alongside Chris Jarvis in pantos in Bournemouth. Today the CBEEBIES presenter tweeted a tribute the actor calling him a ‘real gent’ and ‘incredibly funny’.