Tag: UK
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THEATRE REVIEW | How To Be Immortal, UK Tour
★★★★ | How To Be Immortal, UK Tour
Three true tales intertwine in this intimate, bold and funny show about love, science, death and immortality.Henrietta Lacks died in West Virginia in 1951, but her cells are still alive today, dividing endlessly in laboratories, their every detail studied by scientists all over the world. It’s taken Deborah years to come to terms with her mother’s death. Now, suddenly, she’s got to deal with her immortality.
Rosa and Mick are in love. She plays the cello, he plays the squeezebox –they sound great together. The trouble is that she’s pregnant and he’s about to die.
If we didn’t have bodies would we live forever? Its 1950 and Doctor George Gey and his wife Margaret are about to make a mind-bending discovery using homemade apparatus and some calves liver puree. All they need is the right biopsy.
Love, death and DNA intertwine in three twisted true tales about what we leave behind. There’s live music on cello, squeezebox and ukulele, 1950s science, nano-puppetry, animation and a song composed from human DNA coding. This is a moving production that is not easily shaken from the mind.
For such a heavy subject matter, this is actually a very watchable and engaging play with plenty of humour. Writer, Kirsty Housley, manages to present a trio of fascinating stories with a deft touch, conveying both deep emotion and offering up a complex scientific theme, which is quite a feat. The technology worked well too with some breath taking back projections onto the versatile and clever set. The stories blend well together and the trio of talented actor/musicians give sterling performances in a variety of role.
I was lucky enough to catch the show at the Albany at Deptford, a fantastic small theatre and arts venue which people outside of South London might not be in the know about. It’s well worth a visit and easily reached by public transport.
The show is on tour until the end of March 2014 and you can catch it at various venues around the U.K.: http://www.pennydreadfultheatre.com/#!tour-dates/cxb5
Check out The Albany at Deptford here: http://www.thealbany.org.uk/whatson
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PHE warns of Shigella Dysentery rise in gay and bisexual men
A new campaign to warn gay and bisexual men about the risk of Shigella dysentery is being launched today by Public Health England (PHE) in partnership with Terrence Higgins Trust (THT), as new figures show a surge in cases likely to have been sexually-acquired over the past 12 months.
* Shingella is a serious gut infection
* Can cause prolonged diarrhoea and stomach cramps
* Can be caught through Oral sex and RimmingIn the UK, Shigella flexneri usually affects similar numbers of men and women and is linked with overseas travel, but 2013 data show an excess of more than 200 cases of the infection in men with no or unknown travel history, compared to women. London is most affected.
GUT INFECTION
Shigella is a serious gut infection causing severe, prolonged diarrhoea and stomach cramps. Among gay and bisexual men, Shigella is usually passed on through the faecal-oral route during sex, either directly or via unwashed hands – only a tiny amount of bacteria can spread the infection.Symptoms often develop around 1-3 days after sex, including:
· Frequent and explosive diarrhoea lasting more than 48 hours
· Stomach cramps
· Feeling feverish with flu like symptoms
· Some people report vomiting
· Feeling weak and tired (accompanying the gastrointestinal symptoms)
Men experiencing Shigella symptoms are advised to visit their GP or a clinic, specifically mentioning Shigella and requesting a stool sample test. The infection is treatable with antibiotics. Risk of infection can be reduced by avoiding oral contact with faeces during sex and washing hands thoroughly and showering after sex.Interviews with gay and bisexual men who caught the infection through sex found links to high numbers of partners, often met anonymously online or at sex parties. For many, using drugs, such as mephedrone, methamphetamine (crystal meth), ketamine and GBL, before or during sex led to lowered inhibitions and riskier sex. Worryingly, one in three men using these drugs had injected them (known as ‘slamming’). Most of the men interviewed had not heard of Shigella before and thought they had food poisoning.
CAUSES OF SHIGELLA
One of the men interviewed, who got Shigella through anal-oral sex (‘rimming’), said: “Getting Shigella was the lowest point in my life. I suffered uncontrollable bloody diarrhoea with severe stomach cramps. The ferocity of symptoms and dehydration headaches made me think I was going to die. Initially I blamed it on a bad curry and held off visiting my GP for a week, but really wish I had gone straight away. Although it was treatable with antibiotics, the illness cost me a fortune as I had to take six weeks off work on statutory sick pay.”
As part of the awareness campaign, posters and leaflets are being distributed in nightclubs, saunas and other gay venues, plus sexual health clinics, highlighting the symptoms of Shigella, how it is transmitted and how to avoid it.ON THE RISE
Dr Gwenda Hughes, PHE head of STI surveillance, said: “Shigella is on the rise, so it is vital gay and bisexual men know about it and how to avoid getting it. We’re also seeing increasing HIV and gonorrhoea diagnoses among gay and bisexual men in the UK – indeed, most of the men with Shigella had been diagnosed with other STIs including HIV. This is a reminder how important it is to use a condom when having sex with casual and new partners.”Cary James, Head of Health Improvement at Terrence Higgins Trust, said: “Although on paper the number of documented cases of Shigella are quite small, the concern is that not all cases are being reported. Men with symptoms who haven’t heard of Shigella before might assume it’s a particularly bad case of food poisoning. However, the infection can be dangerous, even more so if you’re already living with HIV or Hep C. We would urge anyone who is experiencing symptoms, or who’s concerned they may have been at risk, to call our free helpline THT Direct or visit www.tht.org.uk/shigella.”
Dr Hughes continued: “The Shigella awareness campaign is part of a broader commitment to helping improve the health of gay and bisexual men, including exploring the links between health and drug use. The level of injecting drug use is a particular concern as we know that this puts men at greatly increased risk of blood-borne viruses such as HIV and Hepatitis C”
Individuals worried about Shigella or their drug use can find out more on the Terrence Higgins Trust website – including finding a local service to visit for further advice. www.tht.org.uk/shigella -
RESTAURANT REVIEW | Arbutus Frith Street Soho (CLOSED)
Choosing a restaurant in Soho after a couple of gin martinis is like a one-sided game of Battleships. You take aim at the heart-of-London’s gridded streets and often miss, leaving your peg sitting in a tasteless hole. Another evening, another game you fire and it’s bull’s-eye. A peg in a ship suggests a revisit. But what if you’ve hit a piddly patrol boat? Your second hit will sink that tiny ship. It was the competent chef’s shift on your first encounter.
But every now and then you strike an aircraft carrier that can withstand numerous blows and stay afloat.
The vessel HRH Lady H and I targeted one finger-numbingly cold January night was christened Arbutus. An aircraft carrier that sails Frith Street. This was my third meal there and she’s still holding her head above water.
We hiccuped our way through the doors of the one-Michelin-starred gaff, and were greeted by a foxy Marilyn Monroe look-a-like. Marilyn playfully ummed and ahhed, then dangled the eatery’s last table in the air as if it was a toy mouse and we were a pair of mischievous Persian cats. Once she’d made us purr we were led to the table.
The restaurant is intimate and narrow. The white walls are mostly lined with old black and white photos of city life. One could be sitting in the National Portrait Gallery during a Robert Frank exhibition.
Lady H’s attention was drawn to the other bums on the banquettes rather than the menu at first. HRH has a penchant for young chaps sporting a crisp white shirt with a subtle hint of Dries Van Noten on their person.
The frolics didn’t end at reception. Lady H ordered two glasses of Davenport East Sussex bubbly. Our pretty waitress smiled and teased us with the idea of a whole bottle. I dug my Paul Smith calf leather Wallace’s heels in. Deux glasses it was.
Davenport Limney Estate is as French as us Brits get when it comes to fizz. Much like south-Londoner John Galliano’s final spring/summer collection for Dior.
Lady began with the Scottish white crab, confit egg yolk, avocado guacamole and brown crabmeat crackers. The ocean fresh crabmeat was mild and sweet. The combination of textures from the runny yolk, crunchy cracker and distinctively strandy crab worked.
For my entrée shoulder of Elwy Valley lamb and Herefordshire snails ‘lasagne’. The scallop like texture of the snail was slightly overpowered by the lamb. I needed to season this dish. The pea green sauce was about as memorable as the Liberal Democrat’s latest policies.
To wash down the mains a bottle of The Flower and the Bee (La Folora y la Abeja). Ribena-like with a spicy bite. Utterly drinkable.
I followed with young Scottish pheasant cooked in hay, with quince jam and cauliflower, with a sausage roll on the side. If the West Cornwall Pasty Company churned out meaty tubes of perfection like this every day I’d be using a different belt loop. The sagey bird came alive with the tart undertones from the jam.
HRH chose the grilled piece of beef with charred calcot onion, toasted buckwheat and Pomme Anne spuds. I had food-envy slapped across my face like Jordan wears make-up. Your neighbour’s Ford Mondeo is aways shinier. The potato was buttery and rich. A treacly saltiness seeped from this addictive beef.
To end we shared a selection of cheeses that Borough Market would have been proud of. To accouplement Graham’s 10-year-old port – vibrant, oaky with a nutty bouquet.
Not as cost effective as eating on the Ark. You’ll need a squadron of Navy officers wages to dine for two on Arbutus’s decks. But she’s worth a hit.
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Cheshire’s fire service among top LGBT employers
Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service is celebrating after once again making it into Stonewall’s annual list of the UK’s top 100 lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) friendly employers.
After making the Top100 of the Workplace Equality Index for the first time in 2013, the Service increased its ranking by 20 places, achieving the 25th slot and placing it in the top quarter of organisations.
Deputy Chair of the Fire Authority, Cllr Stef Nelson said: “Making the Top100 for a second year is something we are incredibly proud of. It demonstrates that the culture of the fire and rescue service is changing for the better. We are totally committed to getting the most out of every single member of staff and developing an inclusive working environment where our staff feel valued regardless of their background or sexual orientation”.
Stonewall is a national organisation that works to achieve equality for lesbians, gay men and bisexual people. The Index has been running for ten years and is seen as the definitive benchmark for gay-friendly employers.
Nearly 400 organisations entered the 2014 Index, including some of the UK’s (and the world’s) largest and most successful firms. The Service was the joint-highest scoring organisation based solely in the North West.
The Workplace Equality Index provides an audit for workplace culture and ranks the top employers for LGBT staff through a 25-question evidenced assessment, focussed on the approach and mechanisms for supporting LGBT employees, customers and communities.
Chief Fire Office Paul Hancock, who is the senior sponsor of the Service’s LGBT staff network, added: “I am delighted that our organisation has again improved its placing in Stonewall’s Top 100 this year. It reflects the hard work invested by our staff and volunteers, not only in ensuring that our people can perform at their best and be themselves, but also so that LGBT people across Cheshire know that we are here to support them. Our aim is always to deliver an excellent fire and rescue service and to do that we need people from every background.”
Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service has an active LGBT employee network group, Firepride, which has once again been accredited as a ‘Star Performing Network’. This means that it has been recognised as ‘making an invaluable contribution to the experience of LGBT staff in the organisation and beyond’.
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THEATRE REVIEW | The Gay Naked Play, Above The Stag
★★★ | The Gay Naked Play, Above The Stag
Dan (Alexander Hulme) is director of the Integrity Players, a small off off Broadway group of players dedicated to “great art”. The company also consists of his loving (and very pregnant) wife Amanda (Stacy Sobieski) and their friend and leading actor Harold (Lucas Livesey). They have lofty ambitions and a staunch refusal to compromise , but they have one problem. Tiny audiences. And when their sole and major backer, who just happens to be Amanda’s Machiavellian mother Imelda (Ellen Verenieks) withdraws her support, they have an even greater problem. No money. What are they going to do?
Enter Eddie Rossini (Christopher Woodley) and his two cronies, T.Scott (Robert Hannouch) and Edonis (Toby Joyce). Eddie proposes a trashy homoerotic stage version of Mel Gibson’s “The Passion of Christ” starring porn star Kit Swagger (Matthew Ferdenzi). It’s a sure fire commercial hit, but will the Integrity Players give in to financial pressure and in so doing lose their integrity? I’m not going to give the game away, but I think we can all guess the answer to that one.
Adam Bell’s play is a witty and often hilarious comment on the eternal conundrum of artistic compromise; popularity versus art. The writing itself is often really clever, abounding in quips and one-liners that wouldn’t have been out of place in an episode of “Will and Grace”.
My problem was more with the execution. Director Andrew Beckett has allowed too much of the play to be played on one level, with actors shamelessly mugging and playing too many of their lines out front. The often hilarious antics of T.Scott and Edonis would have benefited from a greater contrast with their boss, Rossini, but he too was encouraged to overplay much of the comedy, which resulted in a lack of contrast. Surely underplaying the role would have made it even funnier. It’s a shame, because the play is a lot of fun, and I feel sure that this cast had it in them to deliver a much more multi-faceted performance.
That said, the audience on opening night enjoyed themselves enormously, and nobody was complaining about Matthew Ferdenzi getting his kit off more than once. Maybe it will settle down a bit in the next few performances.
The Gay Naked Play is on at Above The Stags until 16th Feb 2014
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THEATRE REVIEW | Dreamboats And Petticoats, UK Tour
★★ | Dreamboats And Petticoats
Dreamboats and Petticoats transports the audience back to the early 1960s where two young friends, Bobby and Ray, spend their evenings at the youth club hanging around with the local band. Bobby auditions for the role of lead singer but is beaten to the role by Norman, the new guy in town and a suave ladies’ man, brimming with self-confidence. Bobby has a crush on Sue, Sue has a crush on Norman and Laura, Ray’s sister, has a crush on Bobby. With the announcement that there is a national song writing contest on the horizon and every one dying for fame and fortune, their lives, loves and song writing partnerships are played out against a belting Rock ‘n’ Roll soundtrack.
This jukebox musical has been successfully packing out theatres both in the West End and around the country for a number of years and upon watching it, you can easily see how it appeals to its target audience and how the sense of nostalgia and the sentimental glance back to the 60s, resonates with those who lived through the time. The show references those things from the audience’s childhood and serves as a nod to more carefree days where the lure of American culture beckoned and music was breaking new ground.
The show itself is bursting with a relentless barrage of classic Rock ‘n’ Roll songs – around 40 in total – and it’s hard to deny that the selection of songs are balanced in terms of the upbeat numbers and the ballads. Songs such as “Let’s Dance”, “Bobby’s Girl”, “Do You Wanna Dance”, “Let’s Twist Again”, “C’mon Everybody” and “Teenager In Love” all make an appearance and do get the feet tapping. The songs were impressively performed by the on stage band, with many of the cast playing numerous musical instruments and a couple of the songs being accompanied by enjoyable ensemble pieces.
There were, however, a number of flaws in the show. The predictable plot and clichéd characterisations were paper thin and served mainly as a link from one song to another. The production of the show was very basic, with a largely static set, minimal props and uncomplicated choreography; the volume of the music far outweighed the vocals for the majority of the show and the microphones for the cast were frequently tuned on after they had started their lines. The show came across as a cabaret performance and you had to wonder whether putting the story to one side and having a musical revue of Rock ‘n Roll songs, in the same vein as “Thriller Live!” would have been a better idea.
But despite its basic appearance, the appeal of this show is the nostalgia for an older audience and the music. For those who like Rock ‘n’ Roll, they will enjoy the almost constant musical numbers. The show does finish with a mini concert which had the audience on their feet and the resounding cheers and applause suggested that the audience had thoroughly enjoyed the show as a whole. However, this show sadly lacked style and substance over and above a decent band and a soundtrack of classic songs.
The show is currently at the Sheffield Lyceum Theatre until Saturday 18th January 2014 (details can be found here www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk) before continuing on its national tour. Details of the tour can be found at www.dreamboatsandpetticoats.com
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THEATRE REVIEW | Putting It Together, St. James Theatre
★★★★★ | Putting It Together, St. James Theatre
The original New York production of “Putting It Together”, a musical revue created by Julia McKenzie and Stephen Sondheim, starred none other than Julie Andrews. This first London staging of the show is much like Ms Andrews’ famous character Mary Poppins: practically, perfect in every way.
If you already love Sondheim then this is a rare treat, with a chance to see a whole host of his songs performed to a stunningly high standard. If you don’t know Sondheim’s work then this is a brilliant way to get to know his style and revel in his wit and panache.
From lovelorn, embittered and angry, through to wistful, longing and hopeful, the song selection covers a huge range of emotions and facets of the terrifying and perplexing thing that is human relations. The cast selection is staggeringly good too. Listening to David Bedella’s voice is like sipping smooth Bourbon, whilst Janie Dee manages to pack pathos, rage and comedy into every word (and what a lot of words some of the numbers contain). Damian Humbley, Daniel Crossley and Caroline Sheen make up the rest of the strong five-person cast and all do more than justice to Sondheim’s numbers with amazing vocal talents, backed by a skilled sextet of musicians.
The show cleverly utilises a diverse range of songs as the audience watch the progress of a couple as they undergo a tempestuous night at a cocktail party. The audience last night certainly loved the show and there was a standing ovation with rapturous applause.
I can’t recommend this enough. It’s on for a strictly limited 3 week run until the 1st of February
Buy tickets here: http://www.stjamestheatre.co.uk/events/putting-it-together/
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Attack At Brighton Gay Bar
Police are appealing for witnesses after a man was glassed in the face in a pub in Brighton.
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THEATRE REVIEW | Moscow City Ballet presents The Nutcracker – Sheffield Lyceum & National Tour
★★★ | Moscow City Ballet presents The Nutcracker – Sheffield Lyceum & National Tour
The Nutcracker tells the story of Clara, a young girl who is magically whisked away to a land of snow, flowers and fantasy, where she transforms into a princess and falls in love with the nutcracker prince. This classic ballet, with the score written by perhaps Russia’s most famous composer, Tchaikovsky, is lovingly performed by The Moscow City Ballet as part of their 25th Anniversary tour.
The score to the piece by Tchaikovsky remains as bold and as enchanting as ever, and sounded beautiful performed by the note perfect live orchestra. A number of the pieces are instantly recognisable and will be familiar to most people, given how embedded they are in popular culture. The music remains powerful and emotive and enjoying and appreciating it was one of the highlights of the evening.
As for the ballet itself, the first act focussed more on the narrative of the story, with Clara attending a Christmas Eve party where the guests are enthralled by her godfather’s magical, mechanical toys. During the first scene of Act 1, the full stage was awash with activity, which, whilst it looked impressive, sometimes led the audience to miss various things, as there was a lot happening simultaneously. Scene two, which finds Clara in a snow filled wonderland, was absolutely delightful with the female ensemble cast performing a stunning routine. Act 2 was more focussed on the dancing itself and it was during this act that the score and orchestra came into their own. The recognisable pieces of music came relentlessly and were accompanied by some charming routines – the highlight again being the female ensemble cast.
Principal dancer Kanat Nadyrbeck performed well as the mysterious Drosselmeyer, but unfortunately, the ballet as a whole had far too many stumbles, heavy footfalls and overbalances than you would expect from such a prestigious company and the choreography seemed almost clunky at times. The gracefulness of the scenes with the female ensemble juxtaposed sharply with some of the other scenes and there were times when the synchronicity of the cast was not as well timed as it could have been. That said, the cast were enthusiastic and worked hard throughout the show, some of them displaying some spectacular leaps and bounds. There were also times when the principal dancers spent far too much time encouraging applause following a set piece, which interrupted the flow of the ballet and the story and seemed to give a stop/start feel to the second act.
Proving itself to be a more traditional style of ballet, the show was still charming and engaging and as a whole was enjoyable, but, unfortunately, not without its flaws.
As part of their 25th Anniversary tour, Moscow City Ballet is performing a quartet of traditional ballets in a variety of venues around the Country. The Nutcracker, Don Quixote, Romeo and Juliet and Swan Lake are all being performed.
The Nutcracker continues at the Lyceum Theatre Sheffield until Saturday 11th January 2014 and tickets and details can be found at http://www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk/event/the-nutcracker-14/ . The tour then continues around the country and details can be found at http://www.ents24.com/uk/tour-dates/moscow-city-ballet
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Nick Griffin Cares For The Gays?
Well this might be a turn up for the books… Newly bankrupt Nick Griffin has Tweeted his somewhat support of gay people, but only through warning people of the ‘Dangers of Islamism’
Openly gay showman Derren Brown tweeted the hashtag #PrayForNick after news of the BNP leader’s bankruptcy. However in a crude turn, Nick tweeted back:
‘@DerrenBrown @TheStaggers Don’t worry Derren, it doesn’t stop me being an MEP & warning of the danger Islamism poses to you & yours! X’
So it seems that Nick Griffin is on the side of gay people – as long as it’s against Islam? We’re not quite sure, but I’m pretty sure we’re ok without your support Nick – Thanks anyway.
In 2012 Nick Griffin called upon his legion of followers to make their ‘merry’ way to the house of Michael Black and John Morgan who won their discrimination case against a B&B owner who wouldn’t allow the couple to stay the night at her business, in what was seen as a incitement to abuse the couple.