THEGAYUK

Tag: UK

  • THEATRE REVIEW | The Shape of Things, Arcola Theatre London

    ★★★★★ | The Shape of Things, Arcola Theatre London

    I’m sure you all know the scenario: you meet a man who you feel needs a few little tweaks just to make him perfect.

    Maybe he needs a new hairstyle or better clothes, maybe a better physique or a more sparkling repartee. Perhaps he needs to lose a few of his less desirable friends. What if this was to become the main feature of your relationship, though? What if changing him was the impetus of your bond? Where do you draw the line?

    This 2001 play from Neil LaBute (In the Company of Men, Your Friends and Neighbours, Fat Pig) is well worth this refreshing revival and is as pertinent today as it was the day it was written. The rapier sharp and pacey dialogue makes for a gripping piece that is both hilariously funny and chilling in equal measures. The cast of four are particularly strong with outstanding performances that draw you in to the narrative and the cunning use of an initially minimalist set underlines the play’s themes. The intimate space of the Arcola Theatre lends itself well to this intense and witty black comedy.

    It’s definitely well worth travelling out to the funky Arcola theatre to catch this modern classic with killer performances from a particularly strong cast.

    The play runs until the 21st of December

    Buy tickets here: http://www.arcolatheatre.com/production/arcola/the-shape-of-things

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Boylexe, The Shadow Lounge, London

    ★★★ | Boylexe, The Shadow Lounge, London

    Last Friday, the Shadow Lounge in Soho, paid host to the boylesque show, Boylexe, which the company performed to a packed house of rowdy guys and gals, clearly in the mood for a fun night out. In the event, I’m not sure they got quite what they expected.

    According to one of its performers, Phil Ingud, Boylexe is “a great night out filled with cabaret, stripping and touching stories… and a LOT of flesh!” which I suppose describes it pretty well. When I asked him how the show would differ from strip shows like The Chippendales and Dreamboys, he talks about the art of burlesque being different, less sexual, more about teasing and titillating, with no full frontal nudity.

    So far, so good. Only I felt that none of the routines we saw at the Shadow Lounge on Friday night were titillating enough. Clothes were divested much too quickly and there was no real sense of teasing the audience with the possibility that they might catch a glimpse of someone’s naughty bits. Not that we need to see them, of course, but there should always be the prospect, the possibility. That is what titillating means.
    A mixture of stripping and monologues, the show didn’t seem to know quite where it was pitching itself. MC, Alp Haydar presides over proceedings with an energy and enthusiasm, which manages to be both naughty and disarming at the same time, and the audience really responded to him, but this in itself caused problems, meaning that when Phil Ingut delivered his monologue about HIV, it was greeted with a rather uncomfortable silence. Maybe that was the intention. If so, it wasn’t made clear enough. Other monologues were less memorable and the strip routines, such as they were, did at least come as a welcome relief.

    We got a whiff of the circus or music hall with the entertaining strong man routines by The Mighty Moustache (aka Sir Alexander Leopold), and there was a clever reverse strip by drag queen Mr Mistress, who defiantly takes to the stage naked and drags up before our eyes.

    The line-up is never quite the same from show to show, and this Friday (December 6th), they will be joined by Nick Stiletto, who, I am told, delivers routines that are cheeky and fun, with a deft use of props, which is certainly more in the true spirit of burlesque.

    As it is, it is a somewhat uneven evening. There is the potential for a great night out, but it needs to have a clearer idea of what it is trying to achieve. According to the strippers in Jule Styne’s “Gypsy”,

    You can sacrifice your saccro
    Working in the back row.
    Bump in a dump till you’re dead.
    Kid, you gotta have a gimmick
    If you wanna get ahead.

    Maybe it’s gimmicks that are lacking.

    Boylexe plays at the Shadow Lounge on Fridays throughout December.

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Julie Madly Deeply, Trafalgar Studios

    ★★★★ | Julie Madly Deeply, Trafalgar Studios

    Julie Madly Deeply is an affectionate look at the life of one of the most iconic stars of stage and screen, Dame Julie Andrews.

    Lifelong fan, Sarah-Louise Young, already a well-known name on the cabaret circuit, quips and quotes her way through the show she wrote with an eloquent ease, interspersing anecdotes with just some of the many songs Andrews is best known for from Thoroughly Modern Millie, Mary Poppins, The Sound of Music, My Fair Lady and The Boy Friend.

    Young infuses the show with her natural warmth and plenty of wit, and her devotion to Andrews is evident throughout. She speaks of her with passion and charm, using her perfect diction and clear singing voice to effectively mimic the star. Young’s versatility is evident as she effortlessly jumps between characters, including Audrey Hepburn and a deliciously slurring Liza Minnelli who pops up with familiar regularly.

    Musical Director Michael Roulston plays a perfect role, supporting and guiding Young throughout. His comedic flair and wonderfully expressive manner adds a great deal, and their chemistry is clearly visible.

    The staging is sparse, with just a chair, microphone and piano, but no more is needed. The focus is entirely held by Young and Roulston, and the characters they weave into this story (including a penguin that requires some help to leave the stage).Post-interval, one more prop arrives, in the form of a truly extraordinary Alpine landscape covered dirndl. Never before have I seen a movie so accurately embodied in costume.

    There is not a dull moment in either Act, and Young joyously wraps the evening up with what can only be described as a “Sing-along-a-Julie” finale, which has even the shyest audience member singing along to a medley that reminds us all just how many of Andrews’ songs are embedded deep within us.

    A thoroughly modern retrospective which is wholly deserving of a sell-out run, Julie Madly Deeply is a witty, charming and entirely fitting tribute to a true star. I have no doubt at all that, if Julie herself were to see the show, she would be deeply flattered.

    Julie Madly Deeply plays at Trafalgar Studios until 4 January, 2014. Tickets are £20-30 from http://www.atgtickets.com/shows/julie-madly-deeply/trafalgar-studios/ and well worth every penny.

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

    ★★★ | Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

    Andrew Lloyd Webber’s biblical musical continues its national tour with this colourful, energetic and enjoyable production of the enduring and well-loved family show.

    This sing-though musical tells the story of Joseph and his eleven brothers. Joseph is favoured by his father and is given a Technicolor coat, which causes his brothers to become so jealous of his favourable treatment that they take him into the desert to kill him. However, seizing an unexpected opportunity to make some money, the brothers sell him into slavery instead and Joseph is taken to Egypt where his ability to interpret dreams is put to good use by the Pharaoh. The two hour show is jam packed full of songs that you can’t help but know the words to, including “Any Dream Will Do”, “One More Angel In Heaven”, “Close Every Door” and “Jacob and Sons”.

    This quality production was much better than anticipated with the staging of the show being very well put together. There’s good use of the set and scenery with the stage constantly looking full, but never overcrowded. The universally talented cast all performed very well and sounded excellent together. The sound produced by the ensemble cast (especially the brothers) when singing together was superb and their varied voices fitted perfectly together. The casting for the show, in terms of vocal performances was spot on. In particular, Andrew Bateup (making his professional debut) stood out for his enthusiasm and vivacious performance and Rob Wilshaw provided a notable performance in the role of Joseph, handling the show’s best known numbers with aplomb.

    Visually, the show was vibrant, colourful and full of an enthusiastic and energetic cast and effective choreography. As expected, the costumes, set and lighting were all awash with a variety of colours, and the whole thing came across as a fun and lively production which was professionally put together. The lighting in particular was incredibly well done. In terms of the production and performance of the show, there was very little to criticise.

    The main issue with the show was despite the fact that the production was updated, modern and well put together, the songs themselves have not aged as well as some of Rice/Lloyd Webber’s other early productions (such as Evita). Whether this is a result of over familiarity or just the way in which musical theatre has evolved over the years, the play itself felt a little dated. That said, the show, thankfully, didn’t take itself too seriously, with a couple of knowing nods to the audience, which was a welcome addition.

    Overall, if you are looking of an evening of pleasant and undemanding entertainment, then this is a show worth seeing. The show delivers on many levels, particularly in terms of production, but also in terms of nostalgia (most people of a certain age will remember doing this show as their school play), in terms of good family entertainment and in terms of enjoyable, if fairly cheesy, fun.

    Joseph is currently playing at Sheffield Lyceum until Saturday 30th November 2013. For information and tickets, visit www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk or visit the show’s official website at www.josephthemusical.com

  • THEATRE REVIEW | From Morning To Midnight

    ★★★ | From Morning To Midnight

    “For those who like that sort of thing, that is the sort of thing they like.” I felt rather like Miss Jean Brodie after seeing From Morning to Midnight at the Lyttleton Theatre last night. Evidently there were plenty around me who liked the play rather more than I did. Well, to be honest, I didn’t like it at all.

    Admittedly we were not seeing it under the best of circumstances. Adam Godley, who was playing the central character of the Clerk had been taken ill, and his role was taken by understudy Jack Tarlton. Under the circumstances, Tarlton did a sterling job, but nobody can deny the debilitating effect of having to go on with an understudy so early in the run, and before the production had had a chance to settle down. One applauds Tarlton’s achievement, whilst duly noting that the balance of the whole can’t help but have been upset.

    From Morning to Midnight is a German expressionist play, written in 1912 by Georg Kaiser, and initially banned for its portrayal of the Kaiser. The action unfolds over a single day, on which the clerk breaks with normality, absconds from the bank he works in with 60,000 marks and goes in search of something to make life worth living. The loosely linked scenes are given titles: Machine, Bourgeoisie, Epiphany, Family, Society, Sex and Salvation, but, unsurprisingly, his search is fruitless.

    This is the theatre of ideas. None of the characters have names and all, even the clerk himself, are no more than ciphers, representatives of types; an Italian lady, a bank manager a society gent, mother, wife, daughter etc. Even the clerk is not a fully developed character, more of a catalyst for the events that unfold.

    Production values, as so often at the National are consistently high, with ingenious sets by Soutra Gilmour. Director Melly Still has a firm grasp of her material, helped by some wonderful choreography from movement director Al Nedjari, but I remained uninterested and uninvolved. No doubt others will enjoy it more than I did.

    From Morning To Midnight plays at the Lyttleton Theatre until January 26th 2014

    http://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk

  • LGBT charity Push Projects is looking for your help

    Push Projects, set up by Daniel Browne the driving force behind Warwickshire Pride, is on the look out for folk to help them out with a new video to help battle homophobia and transphobia.

    The new film is to feature in schools across Warwickshire to help in the ongoing battle with homophobia and transphobia amongst students. This important project is just part of the many important fights Push Projects have taken head on.

    If you would like to help out or take part then do contact Push Projects via:

    Email: pushprojects@live.co.uk
    Facebook: /PushProjects
    Twitter: @PushProjects

    Check out their new YouTube appeal looking for talent to help in their new film project: here

  • JESSIE J: Switches On The Christmas Lights

    Singer Jessie J kicks off Christmas celebrations on Oxford Street, in London, by switching on the lights.

     

    Bestselling British artist Jessie J kick started the Christmas season by wowing shoppers with an explosive performance and admitting it has always been a dream to switch on the world famous Oxford Street lights.

    Jessie J says,

    ‘I always used to make my parents bring me to Oxford Street to see the Christmas lights so it’s an honour to actually be switching them on this year. I spend a lot of time shopping on Oxford Street and this year will be no different. The lights switch-on is a prestigious part of the festive season for Londoners and I’m proud to be a part of it.’

    Illuminating the world’s most iconic high street with a new £1.5 million light scheme, and lighting up the entire Selfridges building in spectacular style, Jessie J performed in front of thousands of excited shoppers and flicked the switch on the brand new Christmas lights display along the world’s most iconic high street.

     

    Christmas cheer really did start here, as thousands of shoppers watched high octane performances by Jessie J, supported by X Factor winner James Arthur and pop sensation Conor Maynard, at the globally renowned Oxford Street Christmas lights switch-on hosted by the world’s best department store, Selfridges.

    Remarkable circus theatrics made the event truly memorable, with eclectic performers Gifford’s Circus giving a real twist to the evening’s celebration. A breath-taking lights display lit up the iconic Selfridges building, celebrating its ‘Destination Christmas’ campaign.

     

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Passing By, Tristan Bates Theatre

    ★★★ | Passing By, Tristan Bates Theatre

    ‘Passing By’ is an early work from award winning playwright Martin Sherman (Bent, Mrs Henderson Presents) that was first produced in New York in 1974. In terms of theatrical history, this play was hugely significant.

    Rather than being a play about homosexuality itself, where gay people were portrayed only as being tortured and struggling with life, this play is a romantic comedy where the characters just happen to be gay men. This was ground breaking stuff for the era it was written in.

    Toby (Rik Makarem) is a hypochondriac artist about to leave New York for a sabbatical in France and Simon (James Cartwright) is a diver, visiting New York to apply for a job as a sports reporter. The pair meet up, sleep together and then experience a bout of acute hepatitis which brings them together in spite of their differences in temperament.

    It’s a sweet play and is touching in parts but for me, the humour felt a little dated at times with a sit-com feel to it and some of the comedic moments seemed to fall slightly flat with the audience. The staging was superb with a clever set which captured the early 1970’s period well and made good use of the intimate space of the Tristan Bates Theatre but at times the acting felt almost too exaggerated for such a small space with slap-stick humour which again failed to fully deliver.

    Overall, I’d say this is a play which is worth seeing as a diversionary period piece and as an example of an early work from a fantastic pioneering playwright who has contributed a huge amount to modern theatre.

    You can catch ‘Passing By’ at the Tristan Bates Theatre until the 30th of November 2013

    Buy tickets here: http://www.tristanbatestheatre.co.uk/passing_by.asp

  • THEATRE REVIEW | A Christmas Carol – Sheffield Lyceum and National Tour

    ★★★★ | A Christmas Carol – Sheffield Lyceum and National Tour

    Charles Dickens’ much loved Christmas tale is stunningly brought to life in this magical, colourful and beautifully performed ballet from the Northern Ballet Company.

    Ebenezer Scrooge is the meanest, grumpiest man in London, who is obsessed by money and greed, shows no love for his fellow man and has no Christmas spirit. One Christmas Eve, he is visited by the ghost of his late business partner, Jacob Marley, and subsequently by the ghosts of Christmas past, future and present. Scrooge is shown how his meanness lost him his true love in the past, how his miserly ways impact on those around him in the present and how he will not be missed in the future. But can the ghostly apparitions show Scrooge it’s never too late to mend his ways?

    This festive treat was a feast for the eyes and ears. A live orchestra played beautifully throughout the three act ballet and filled the theatre with the sounds of Christmas. The set lovingly recreated Victorian London and, despite its detail was well utilised and versatile throughout the show. The company added an unexpected twist to the proceedings with a few traditional carols sung by the company on stage, with their voices carrying an uplifting and almost angelic feel.

    The costumes were simply stunning with everything from Victorian dress coats and bonnets to beautiful dresses. The whole presentation oozed class and charm. But the costumes which particularly excelled were those of The Ghosts of Christmas. The Ghost of Christmas Future in particular was amazing, with the spirit gliding across the stage in a sinister mixture of floating fabrics and exposed skeletal bones.

    The staging of the production was of a very high quality, with not only the stage being well decorated and presented, but also being lit incredibly well, with a myriad of theatrical techniques which combined to present and atmospheric and versatile stage. Ghosts floated effortlessly in the darkness and a host of spectres filled the foggy stage. Visually, the piece was impressively put together.

    The choreography of the piece was very well done and told the (albeit well known) story incredibly well making it accessible to even a ballet novice. During the course of the show, the dancing went from set pieces awash with dancers to solo and duet pieces. When dancing together, the company were well timed and graceful and at times there was so much going off on stage that it was sometimes difficult to know where to look as you simply didn’t want to miss anything of interest. The dancers ably conveyed the emotions of the characters amongst their agile performances. The very large cast were all of a very high standard and singling any of them out would be a very difficult task, but Sebastian Loe who played Scrooge put in a flawless performance, pouring emotion into his role and effortlessly conveying the progression of the character.

    Having seen this production, there is little wonder why, when it comes to quality, Northern Ballet maintain the reputation that they have. The production was one which was very accessible and was a light and breezy ballet littered with subtle humour. If you have never seen a ballet before, this is an excellent starting point. The festive feel of the piece, especially at the end of the show was overwhelming and you could not help but get swept up in the festive spirit and the joyful feeling of the characters on stage. The show is a perfect way to start getting into the Christmas spirit or a great post gift shopping treat which leaves you feeling warm inside.

    A Christmas Carol is currently showing at the Sheffield Lyceum Theatre before continuing on its national Tour.
    Bookings and information can be found at http://www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk/event/a-christmas-carol-13/?tab=1#unit-production-dates and at http://northernballet.com/index.php?q=a-christmas-carol

  • THEATRE REVIEW | WTF! With Helen Lederer

    THEATRE REVIEW | WTF! With Helen Lederer

    We must point out that Helen Lederer is amazing. There you go. End of review.

    We’re sitting in the packed out studio theatre in Victoria, London, when the, zesty, energetic, self-effacing Lederer walks out to rapturous applause, looking amazing we must add.

    Her new show WTF! is a hilarious – part stand-up part chat show, where she delves into the nooks and crannies of celebrity’s lives.

    Sitting with Lederer this evening in the first half is the gorgeous Kimberley Walsh, 1/5 of the super girl group Girls Aloud, who is probed and prodded, by a genuinely interested Lederer, who has clearly done her research. Walsh quips, ‘Gosh you’ve really read the book, I’ve never had an interview this good…’

    In the second half she is joined by columnist heavyweights Yasmin Alibhai Brown and Suzanne Moore. Who equally shine in their roles as interviewees, particularly Alibhai-Brown who throws herself into Lederer’s wonderful format.

    If you’re looking for a Paxman or Frost type interrogation, you’re probably in the wrong theatre, but if you’re looking for a relaxed, irreverent, very Channel 4 and slightly odd cross examination and dissemination of a celeb then WTF! Is the show for you.

    Helen Lederer returns to the studio theatre at St. James’s Theatre in Victoria on the 28th November.

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Priscilla Queen Of The Desert, Sheffield Lyceum and National Tour

    Three drag queens “unplug their curling wands and go bush” to travel across the outback en route to a show in a casino in Alice Springs. Along the way, they bitch, bicker and laugh their way across the dessert, and continuously ensure that they are looking their best whilst “dressing up in women’s clothing and mouthing the words to other people’s songs”.

    Tick (Noel Sullivan), Bernadette (Richard Grieve) and Adam (Graham Weaver) buy a budget Barbie camper; christen it Priscilla and head into the outback to perform a show at a casino run by Tick’s wife in Alice Springs. Stopping off along the way, the trio make friends, get themselves into trouble, fall in love, strengthen their friendship and following the bus breaking down, pick up mechanic Bill who leaves his wife (who has an extraordinary talent which she shows off in the local pub) as they head to the middle of nowhere for the show of their life.

    Based on the film of the same name, this stage musical was excellent fun. Following the story of the film fairly closely (albeit it with some minor changes) it was a show which is unashamedly flamboyant. The show uses a combination of camp disco classics, opening with “It’s Raining Men” and including “I Will Survive”, “I Love the Nightlife”, “Go West” and “Finally”, which meant that the whole audience were clapping, cheering and laughing from the moment the curtain went up.

    In terms of the cast, Noel Sullivan (who is perhaps best known for being a member of “Hear’say”) was functional as Tick, but played the part with a little bit too much camp, watering down the interplay between the straight laced Tick and outrageous Adam. Richard Grieve was much better than expected as Bernadette. But Graham Weaver stood out with an enjoyable performance as Adam/Felicia. The supporting cast were, as you would expect, ludicrously attractive and beautifully toned and threw themselves into the musical numbers with energy and gusto.

    The whole thing was colourful, exuberant and thoroughly entertaining with a cleverly designed set (with the bus on stage) and a sharp, funny script with all of the characters that you know and love from the film. But where the show really came into its own was in the musical numbers, taking some from the film and some new ones introduced for the show, the routines were over the top, bold, brassy and ballsy, with costumes to match. The enthusiasm of the cast was clear and it was abundantly obvious that they were enjoying themselves as much as the audience.

    The costumes in themselves are worthy of a mention. Some were recreated from the film (flip flop dress, anyone?) and the others just added to the campness of the proceedings. Everything from dancing paintbrushes to dancing birthday cakes, hicks, lizards, Marie Antoinette’s, Ostriches and scantily clad, leather wearing dancers were all on stage in a dazzling spectacular.

    The only downside of this production was that the music was a little loud over the vocals on the odd occasion, but these are very minor quibbles when the show was as much fun as it was.

    The show is one which is perhaps best seen on a Friday or Saturday evening. Its two hour running time quite literally flew by with the whole thing never really slows down. 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 Queen of the Desert is currently at Sheffield Lyceum theatre