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  • THEATRE REVIEW | One Man, Two Guvnors – Sheffield Lyceum and National Tour

    ★★★ | One Man, Two Guvnors – Sheffield Lyceum and National Tour

    Francis Henshall is a con man finds himself in trouble when he ends up working for both an underworld crime lord and a slightly dim toff, without ever letting on that he has two jobs. But the two “guvnors” are not quite what they seem and there is a link between them. Comedic chaos ensues as he is both helped and hindered by a variety of characters and as he tries desperately to keep his bosses apart. But with love beckoning, the promise of a good meal and an increasing number of jobs to complete, will he get the girl?

    Presented by the National Theatre, the show was a comedic blend of old fashioned physical comedy, a script packed to the brim of one liners and traditional British farce, all of which had the audience laughing out loud. The comedy was very much traditional British humour – being, at times, reminiscent of the late 70’s comedy performers like Morecombe and Wise and Benny Hill, with the show moving from clever wordplay to slapstick to saucy humour with ease. The over the top characters were boisterous and fun and played heavily on exaggerated stereotypes with success.

    Each cast member put in a good performance throughout the show, but the night undoubtedly belonged to Gavin Spokes who put in an excellent performance as the lead character, Francis Henshall. His physical comedy, clever ad libs and delivery of the script combined with his natural charisma were a winning combination. However, closely following him was Michael Dylan with an absolutely hilarious, scene stealing performance as Alfie, the decrepit elderly waiter. It was clear that the cast were thoroughly enjoying themselves and their improvised comments, laughter and interaction with the audience only added to the anarchic atmosphere.

    The set was well constructed and detailed, with the scenery being changed behind a gold curtain whist a talented four piece beat combo, The Craze, performed a handful of songs, sometimes joined by various members of the cast. These musical interludes were enjoyable and helped to pace the show as a whole. The sound was clear and allowed the audience to hear clearly what was being said, which was important given the swiftly moving dialogue. Overall, the production values were of a high standard, which is no less than anticipated from this National Theatre Production and the show was surprisingly funny, with the riotous latter half of the first act being the pinnacle of the show, having the audience in absolute fits of laughter.

    If any criticism were to be levelled at the show, it is perhaps that it was a little long (with a running time of two hours ten minutes) and whether it would stand repeated viewings is uncertain, but the show was certainly laugh out loud funny and worthy of a watch.

    “One Man, Two Guvnors” is currently at the Sheffield Lyceum http://www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk/event/one-man-two-guvnors-14/ until the 24th May 2014 before continuing on its extensive national tour http://www.onemantwoguvnors.com

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Boeing, Boeing – Sheffield Crucible Theatre

    ★★★ | Boeing, Boeing – Sheffield Crucible Theatre

    Bernard thinks he has the perfect life living in Paris. He is engaged to three Air Hostesses, and uses the flight timetables to keep them apart and make them think that each of them is his one and only. As the three women in his life fly out to America, Germany and Italy, he ensures that his love life runs smoothly. But when the flights don’t adhere to the timetable one evening, Bernard finds his perfect life falling apart, as each of his three fiancés turn up at the home that they think they share with Bernard. With the help of his best friend, Robert, and his long suffering maid, Bertha, can Bernard keep them apart and maintain not only the facade, but also his love life?

    Sheffield Theatres present this revival of this 1960’s based, comedic, farcical play by Marc Camoletti. The feel of the piece was very reminiscent of the sitcoms of the late 70’s,having shades of the more subtle comedy of George and Mildred and, by contrast, bearing a very strong resemblance to the physical style of comedy in “Fawlty Towers” – the chaotic, panicked and increasingly complicated means of attempting to keep an escalating situation under control. There were also hints of more recent sitcom “Miranda”, with people entering and exiting the stage in quick succession.

    The cast of six held the audience’s attention with good delivery of the script’s one liners and some great comic timing. Notable cast members were Joseph Kloska who appealed with an animated performance as Robert, the nervous, flustered and naïve best friend. Lizzie Winkler was excellent as the intense German air hostess, Gretchen and Julia Deakin delivered all the best lines with an understated performance as Bertha, the long suffering and sardonic maid.

    Sheffield Theatres ably demonstrate why they have twice been awarded Regional Theatre of the Year with another quality production. The 60’s based set was simple but looked impressive, with its orange patterned wall paper and olive green sofa being very sixties chic. The stage was very well lit and the use of bold colour in both the set and the lighting looked impressive. The sound in the theatre was crisp and easily audible, and the costumes were great, in particular the air hostess uniforms, which looked absolutely beautiful, rounding off the high production values of the show.

    The show was a smart blend of physical comedy and a witty script and the audience found the whole thing very funny, with plenty of laughter echoing around the theatre throughout the evening.

    Boeing Boeing is currently playing at Sheffield Crucible Theatre until 7th June 2014. Details, trailer and booking details can be found at http://www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk/event/boeing-boeing-14/

  • Teenager Sentenced To 14 years In Prison For Anti-Gay Attack

    A 19 year old man from Chester has been sentenced to 14 years in prison for what a judge has said was a homophobic attack.

    Chester Crown Court heard that Floyd Evans stabbed office cleaner Francisco Nascimento at a spot on Chester city walls which is known to be a meeting place for the gay community.

    It was only the swift action of the emergency services and staff at the Royal Liverpool University Hospital that saved his life.

    At Chester Crown Court today (Tuesday 20 May), Recorder of Chester HHJ Elgan Edwards, said he was satisfied that Floyd Evans did what he did on 21 October last year because he thought Mr Nascimento was gay.

    He said Evans knew that area of the Chester city walls was a well-known meeting point for gay men.

    He was satisfied that this crime was a homophobic assault and increased the sentence given to Evans because of this.

    On 21 October 2013, Mr Nascimento, who’s originally from Brazil but has lived in Chester for several years, finished his work as a cleaner and went to the Northgate Arena for a swim.

    He then went on to a nearby shop to buy some food, before setting off for home via the City Walls.

    Mr Nascimento, who was 35 at the time of the attack, met a friend, Gareth Davies, on the walls and they were chatting when they noticed Evans coming towards them.

    Evans started talking to Mr Davies but then suddenly lunged forward and stabbed Mr Nascimento. He then simply walked away.

    The emergency services were called and a police officer, PC Campbell, kept pressure on the wound until the paramedics arrived.

    The judge in the case has given PC Campbell a Crown Court commendation for his actions on the night.

    Mr Nascimento was then taken to a specialist trauma centre at Royal Liverpool University Hospital where he was operated on immediately.

    Evans was caught on CCTV before and after the attack and forensic experts helped identify him as the man responsible.

    Richard Riley, Senior Crown Prosecutor with Mersey-Cheshire Crown Prosecution Service, said,

    “We have always believed that Floyd Evans stabbed My Nascimento because he thought he was gay and that Evans went to that part of the city walls that night for that very reason.

    “Evans is clearly a violent man, quite possibly harbouring sinister feelings towards certain sections of our community.

    “This was what we describe as a hate crime and the Crown Prosecution Service is determined to bring those responsible to justice.

    “Mr Nascimento had done nothing wrong on the night he was attacked and it is only because of the swift actions of his friend, a passing police officer, the paramedics and the staff at the Royal Liverpool Hospital that he is still alive today.

    “We welcome the sentence handed out to Floyd Evans today. He now has several years in prison ahead of him to reflect on the violence and recklessness of his actions on that night.”

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Fleabag, Soho Theatre, London

    ★★★★★ | Fleabag, Soho Theatre, London

    What happens when your life has descended into an endless round of masturbating to Internet porn, seeking casual pick-ups and having catastrophic career and relationship failures? How do we manage to live in a world where sex is ever present and the only way we can sometimes connect is through (not always satisfying) sex?

    Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s multi-award nominated, previous sell-out and critically acclaimed show is back at the Soho Theatre and it’s as twisted and as funny as ever. It’s a hilariously funny play with touches of pathos and enough gross out moments to make you wince and squirm. It’s great to see taboo subjects like female masturbation, pornography viewing and casual hook ups portrayed in a non-judgemental and achingly funny play.
    Waller-Bridge is a consummate performer, providing warmth to an unapologetic character that you want to alternately shake, nurture or go for a few cocktails with. In spite of her gauche demeanour and hapless nature the Fleabag has a dark psyche bursting full of issues and enough baggage to fill a carousel at Heathrow. It’s a testament to the power of the acting, production and script that the audience seems to warm to her so much and not want to boo her off the stage. The audience reaction was, in fact, ecstatic, the night I saw the show.

    This is a very unique production and a well-deserved Olivier Award nominee. You’ll have to act fast if you want to catch a seat. It’s a not to be missed experience. Just don’t take your granny along unless she happens to be very open-minded.
    Fleabag runs until 25th of May 2014
    Book tickets here: http://www.sohotheatre.com/whats-on/fleabag/

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Positive, Waterloo East Theatre, London

    ★★★★ | Positive, Waterloo East Theatre, London
    “If Britney can get through 2007, then I can get through today.”

    Benji’s mantra has got him through the first year following his HIV diagnosis, and the time has now come to grab life by the balls and get his love life back on track. Inspired by true stories, Positive is an honest and uplifting story about an ordinary guy living with one of Britain’s most misunderstood diseases.

    Shaun Kitchener’s new play is a work of quiet and restrained power. The power of the piece is in its initial appearance as a light comedy with an almost sit-com like feel at times. Whilst the situations, characters and dialogue are often achingly funny, the message at the heart of the play is a strong one with a compelling depiction of what its like to experience living with a diagnosis of HIV in a frequently ignorant and uninformed world and a world where new drug treatments aren’t the easy ride that some people would like to believe they are.

    The seven-person cast are universally strong with standout performances from Sally George as Benji’s overbearing mother and Jamie-Rose Monk as Benji’s consultant. Writer and actor Shaun Kitchener gives a bemused and amusing turn as Benji’s potential new love interest.

    This is a quietly moving and uplifting play that will make you laugh as well as think. It’s definitely worth a look. The theatre itself is an intimate space that lends itself well to the production and is only a short walk from Waterloo station.

    Positive runs until the 1st of June 2014

    Buy tickets here: http://www.waterlooeast.co.uk/positive%20.html

  • Gay Penguins Become Best Fathers At Zoo

    In a Wildlife park in Kent two male penguins have become surrogate fathers.

    Two male Humboldt Penguins called Kermit and Jumbs at Wingham Wildlife Park have been made surrogate parents for an egg, which has just hatched. The egg was abandoned by the mother.

    Head of birds and mammals at the park Becky Johnson explained: ‘It was a shame to see the hetrosexual pair leave their egg, largely because the male deserted his share of the duties.’

    ALSO READ: Top 10 gay animals

    Park owner Tony Binskin said ‘These two have so far proven to be the best penguin parents we have had. But we have had to bring in two new males to keep the balance of the group.

    ‘We are still very much starting our breeding efforts with this species, and this is only our second year, but having such good surrogate parents available should we need them is a huge bonus for us.

    ‘Being brought up by individuals of the same species always has a better outcome for animals being reared. While we will intervene and hand rear animals if necessary, it is something we prefer to avoid.’

  • OPINION | Meet The Next Generation Of The BNP

    It’s scary, very scary, what happens when you get a bunch of 13-18 year olds and fill their heads with British National Party rubbish.

    We want, we want, we want, never gets – didn’t your mother tell you?

    I’m sitting here, not sure whether to laugh or to shudder in fear – as the British National Party (BNP) releases a video on to its YouTube page with several young people spouting about who they feel is to blame for the downturn of the UK’s moral compass and their demands for the future of this country.

    So who is to blame? Well, us militant homosexuals are given a mention (high five), the media, bankers, businesses and I think My Little Pony had a mention somewhere.

    At the end of the ill-edited, terribly lit video, with a soundtrack that would make Han Zimmer cry into his hands, a youngster, we’ll call him Marvin, looks deadpan into camera and like a BNP Zombie says, ‘This is not a request, this is a demand… We are BNP Youth.’

    And if you’re wondering what exactly what was said about the LGBT+ community, the one in the pink says (we’ll call her Chelsea), ‘The militant homosexuals who push for gay marriage and gay adoption in order to destroy the traditional family unit.’

    Then the one in the black top and festive flower in the her hair pipes up (We’ll call her Edwina):

    ‘We want the promotion of the traditional family and our core Christian values.’

    I can’t help think that these children, yes they are children, have been done a complete disservice by their parents, their political education and the BNP. This video will forever be a monument to their beliefs – and in an ever changing and more progressive society, these kids are already looking like dinosaurs.

    In a time where nothing can be deleted from the omnipotent internet, I wonder what these children will think, when they look back on this, as they get a little more worldly wise in 5, 10, 15 years.

    This video is called, BNP Youth- Fight Back, but I’m not sure they really know who they’re fighting. It seems like everyone as far as I can tell. This is a political party, it seems, hell bent on isolating itself into the nether regions of this country, demanding not to be taken seriously – and I say, good – stay there.

    It seems the BNP have a new generation… My advice – don’t feed them after midnight and keep away from water.

    Interestingly, comments have been turned off for the video on YouTube – but you can leave your thoughts and comments below – play nicely now…

     

    Opinions expressed in this article may not reflect those of THEGAYUK, its management or editorial teams. If you’d like to comment or write a comment, opinion or blog piece, please click here.

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Somewhere Under the Rainbow- the Liza Minnelli Story, Landor Theatre, London

    ★★★★ | Somewhere Under the Rainbow- the Liza Minnelli Story, Landor Theatre, London

    Liza is about to go on stage, pacing nervously round her dressing room in a silk robe she bursts into song, tells a few anecdotes and even shows us a few of her dance moves.

    Following on from sell out runs and rave reviews in Dublin and Edinburgh; this show is making its London premiere at The Landor Theatre in Clapham.

    Minnelli is a hard act to capture well but Sharon Sexton absolutely nails it as the gay icon. She’s got an amazing voice and her acting skills are second to none. This isn’t just a tacky cabaret style impression of Liza but a wry yet touching portrayal of a woman full of paradoxes. By turns feisty and brash yet also vulnerable and fragile, this is a Minnelli you can believe in. Sexton’s version of Sondheim’s “Losing My Mind” is heart wrenching and her Mein Herr is performed with breath taking skill. Her whole repertoire is performed with dazzling panache.

    If you know much about Liza already then you’re not going to get a deep and detailed insight into her life and her marriages, drug addictions and traumas. The show does, however, give us a glimpse of what Liza is about and how she’s fought her way through life with a smile on her face and a pair of tap shoes never too far away.

    This is definitely fringe theatre at its best and a show worthy of a larger venue. This is definitely one to catch during its short run

    Somewhere Under the Rainbow runs until the 17th of May 2014

    Buy tickets here: http://www.landortheatre.co.uk/index.php/booking-office/musicals/somewhere-under-the-rainbow-84/

  • UK Football Club, Sunderland To Fly Rainbow Flag For Gay Rights

    Sunderland Football Club Backs IDAHO

    Sunderland AFC is marking the International Day Against Homophobia (IDAHO) by flying the rainbow flag at the Stadium of Light today.

    The flag-raising is a mark of recognition of IDAHO Day, which calls for respect for the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community.

    The Deputy Mayor of Sunderland will also raise a rainbow flag at the Civic Centre to show the city’s support.

    Sunderland AFC’s commercial director Gary Hutchinson said: “The club is very proud to support IDAHO Day. The Stadium of Light should be a safe and welcoming environment for all members of our community and IDAHO offers a great platform on which to celebrate diversity and promote inclusion.”

    Ryan Houston, Chairman of Sunderland Pride, said: “It’s fantastic to see a group like SAFC supporting International Day Against Homophobia Biphobia and Transphobia. As such as powerful figure within the City, it’s great to see their attitude towards equality and diversity being showcased with an event such as this.

    “IDAHO(BIT) is being celebrated across the world from Friday 16th May to Sunday 18th May, and I am delighted to see support to the events we are hosting within the City.”

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Brassed Off

    ★★★  | Brassed Off

    Set in 1992, Brassed Off tells the story of a small Yorkshire mining town as their pit faces closure, unemployment looms, families struggle and communities rally round to campaign to keep the pit open. But as the saying goes, “where there’s muck, there’s brass”, here in the form of the colliery brass band; whose elderly band leader, Danny, has a dream of taking them to the Royal Albert Hall as finalists of a national competition.

    When Gloria, a beautiful young fugal horn player, arrives back in her home town from London, the band welcome her with open arms and the affable Andy falls in love with her. But she isn’t necessarily what she seems, and with the threat of the pit closure growing ever closer, the boys start to wonder why she has a National Coal Board logo on her briefcase.

    Based on the film of the same name, Brassed Off was a poignant play about the struggles of a community fighting to maintain its livelihood. The play had some genuine laugh out loud moments in the first act, but as the story unfolds and the situation of the lead characters becomes more desperate, the second act took a more downbeat turn, with a few laughs here and there, but a lot of sad developments to the story. It was a credit to both the cast’s performances and to the writing that you felt such sympathy for the characters as their lives and community were being slowly torn apart.

    James Robinson was most notable for his portrayal of Andy – with a natural performance of his character’s cheeky jack-the-lad persona. The remaining cast gelled well together and the sense of camaraderie and community on stage came across as genuine and believable. There were also some very well written roles for the female characters, in particular the determined Rita, excellently portrayed by Helen Kay. Unfortunately, some of the speech was a little quiet at times making it difficult to hear; meaning some of the audience missed out on some of the sharp dialogue.

    The brass band performed on stage, played by a combination of the actors and members from a local band, and did a fine job with some uplifting and moving numbers. The play was heavier on the narrative than the music and the only criticism to be levelled was that perhaps the band didn’t play enough throughout the show and especially towards the end.

    The play had a strong political message about the erosion of the coal industry and the impact on small communities. That said, despite the elements of comedy, this was a play whereby, regardless of your political leanings, you left the theatre feeling emotional as a result of the plight of the likeable characters and the empathy garnered towards them as they struggled through. The play did such a good job of drawing you into the lives of the on stage community, that even the upbeat ending seemed bitter sweet. Overall, Brassed Off was an emotional piece of well written and performed drama.

    Brassed Off is currently at the Sheffield Lyceum Theatre until Saturday 10th May 2014. Further details and booking details can be found at www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Foreplay, King’s Head Theatre, London

    ★★★ | Foreplay, King’s Head Theatre, London

    Some of the greatest minds of the post-War central European generation, Theodore Adorno and his wife Gretel, Hannah Arendt and Walter Benjamin became caught up in a heady mix of sexual and intellectual intrigue, infidelity, rivalry and mutual obsession. Years later, with Benjamin dead and Adorno established as one of the leading thinkers of his time Theodore, Gretel and Hannah are invited to a meal by a mysterious young woman. When their host reveals that she has access to documents that could change their lives for ever, all three are forced to face the lies, jealousies and sexual proclivities that they have hidden for decades, as their loyalty to each other is tested to the utmost.

    A psycho-sexual thriller of betrayal and revenge, Foreplay takes us into the lives of some of the greatest intellectuals of the 20th century, exposing the chasm between the public and private, what is erotic and what is pornographic, and the uneasy relationship between genius and hypocrisy in us all.

    This is the world premiere of Carl Djerassi’s new play at the King’s Head Theatre and the staging of the production, the skill of the actors and the intimacy of the space would certainly do justice to the piece. The claustrophobic nature of the play is conveyed to perfection and there isn’t a weak link in the cast with some very strong performances, my favourite being Judi Scott as the fearsome Hannah Arendt.

    The problem for me was the play itself. In spite of a fascinating premise, some well placed humour and pacey dialogue, it felt less like a meditation on intellectual versus physical foreplay and infidelity but more like a virtual reality recreation of a particularly long and dry menopause. I suspect that had I known more about German 20th Century philosophers, political theorists and sociologists then I might have found the play more compelling. As it was, I found it mostly quite dull in content and even the intriguing human elements failed to hold my interest fully for long as the intellectual debates and parrying quickly took the sparkle away from any of the merits of the excellent production.

    In spite of this, it’s well worth seeing just for the clever set and the highly accomplished acting. The brief moments of humour are well placed and timed to perfection.

    The play runs until the 31st of May

    Buy tickets here: http://www.kingsheadtheatre.com/main.html