THEGAYUK

Tag: UK

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Scott Capurro Islamohomophobia, Soho Theatre

    ★★★★★ | Scott Capurro: ‘Islamohomophobia’

    Waspish Californian stand-up Scott Capurro is performing his latest show for 4 nights only at the intimate Soho Downstairs at The Soho Theatre on Dean Street. It’s not a show for the faint hearted but is definitely a treat for those with a dry and dark sense of humour.

    Capurro regales us with tales of his recent marriage to his boyfriend, a near lynching in Cardiff and the events surrounding the death of his mother; a story that is by turns irreverent but ultimately poignant.

    Although you may not feel safe sitting on the front row, as he cunningly wheedles out sordid details of the audience’s personal life, Capurro ultimately comes across as a charming and likeable man who’s enjoying his art. He may have the power to make you choke on your Martini with his acerbic comments but he also could probably manage to seduce you if you gave him enough time or wore loose enough trousers.

    The content of his routine may seem controversial, initially, but it’s all fine as Capurro manages to insult absolutely every group of people without discrimination.

    Catch Scott Capurro live at The Soho Theatre until Saturday the 8th of June

  • Birmingham Mail columnist asks Pride attendeees to lisp and mince

    Columnist Mike Lockley at the Birmingham Mail writes a series of homophobic remarks about people attending Birmingham Pride.

    In a column entitled: ‘Mike Lockley ‘I didn’t mince my words at festival’ hosted on the Birmingham Mail website Lockley made a series openly mocking, offensive and homophobic remarks to describe revellers at Birmingham Pride this year.

     

    Speaking to one reveller Lockley writes that he asked: “Would you mind awfully facing our video camera and lisping ‘I’m free’ while flicking your wrist?

    “Then if you could mince out of….”

    “That,” hissed the reveller, “is exactly the outdated and offensive image of gay men we are attempting to break free from.”

    “Fair enough,” I nodded. “How about a petulant ‘Shut that door’?”

    The lines refer to various catch phrases that a number of TV entertainers used in the 1970s and 80s, which is now seen by many as a dated and offensive view of gay people.
    Lockley described as ‘Midlands Columnist of The Year, was clearly upset by being asked to cover the festivities in Birmingham, writing,

    “Why I, a reporter who cut his teeth in the 1970s, a time when there was a role for openly gay men (Widow Twankey in the local amdram society’s Christmas performance of Aladdin), was chosen to provide coverage at the lavish event remains a mystery.”

    When his editor said,

    “The gay community has had a terrible cross to bear.”

    Lockley replied with:

    “They didn’t have to listen to that crap music,”

    I argued.

    “I mean, I’d be loathe to come out if meant an eternity of Kylie’s greatest hits.”

  • Lords vote in Favour of Gay Marriage

    In an unprecedented and historic move, Peers in the House of Lords have voted overwhelmingly in favour of the same-sex marriage bill.

    After two days of heated debate in the House of Lords, Peers voted in favour of same-sex marriage, after Lord Dear, former Chief Constable of the West Midlands Police Force tabled a ‘wrecking’ and ‘fatal’ amendment potentially denying the same-sex marriage bill its second reading.

    Peers voted 390 votes to 148, a majority of 242 votes meaning that the Lords allowed the passage of the bill to the committee stage.

    Taking to Twitter human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell wrote,

    “Lords vote a landslide victory for love, marriage & equality: 390 in favour, 148 against. YOUR lobbying efforts helped us win. HUGE thanks

    “With this huge Lords victory, we are on schedule for the first same-sex weddings late this summer. Hurrah”

    The debate initially commenced on Monday at 3:00pm and continued until 10:45pm, it resumed on Tuesday afternoon and concluded with Peers voting.

    Stonewall Chief Executive Ben Summerskill said,

    “‘We’re absolutely delighted. We always expected a tough challenge in the House of Lords, and Lord Dear’s “fatal motion” – very rarely used – demonstrates the lengths to which a minority of peers are, sadly, still prepared to go to deny full equality to lesbian, gay and bisexual people.

    “In the last 24 hours alone, opponents of equality in the House of Lords have compared loving, committed relationships to incest and polygamy. Britain’s 3.7 million gay people don’t deserve to be second class citizens in their own country. A tough fight lies ahead and we’ll continue to work tirelessly every single day to get equal marriage through the Lords. At Stonewall, we fight to win.”

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Knee Deep, Riverside Studios

    ★★★★★ | Knee Deep, Riverside Studios

    Following their hit show at the Edinburgh Fringe festival last year, Casus are back with their breathtaking performance of Knee Deep at the Riverside Studios.

    The 4 performers (Emma Serjeant, Jesse Scott, Natano Fa’anana and Lachaln McAulay) are captivating to watch, their bodily strength is truly incredible.

    They use hoops, straps, silks and more amazingly, raw eggs to perform some spectacular circus tricks. The stage is empty and simply lit and your proximity to the performance creates an intimate atmosphere, where every movement absorbs you fully into the action of the piece.

    Its truly awe inspiring to watch and I spent most of the hour agog at the exceptional skills of these performers and their incredible physiques. For me, it’s a must see.

    by Becky Harper

  • Birmingham LGBT opens sports and fitness studio in Southside

    Birmingham LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans) has added a new sports and fitness studio to its thriving Health and Wellbeing Centre in Birmingham’s Southside district.

    The sports and fitness studio, named The Vault, opened to the public on Thursday 2 May and is located in the basement of the centre on Holloway Circus in Southside. It is the first dedicated LGBT sports and fitness studio in the UK and hopes to empower the community by increasing involvement in physical activities like Yoga, Pilates, table tennis and more.

    With growing evidence of significant health inequalities suffered by LGBT communities in Birmingham, The Vault has been introduced to combat against barriers that prevent these communities from accessing mainstream sports facilities such as discrimination, stereotyping, lack of inclusion in policies, procedures and marketing and most worryingly, fears for safety.

    Sport England Inspired Facilities programme helped facilitate the opening of The Vault by providing £43,000 of funding. Some of the classes at the studio will be funded through Birmingham City Council’s Be Active scheme. The Vault will also have a changing facility and dedicated Trans changing space.

    David Viney, Birmingham LGBT health and wellbeing manager, said,

    “The sole aim of The Vault is to provide the LGBT community with a welcoming and safe environment to enjoy sports activities. A worrying 65%* of young LGBT people have admitted to experiencing homophobic bullying and almost half of those do not engage in sports for this reason. We hope that by making The Vault accessible to the Birmingham LGBT community we are able to nurture their passion for fitness.”

    Julia Chance, Southside BID Manager, said,

    “The Vault is a fantastic asset to the LGBT community and we’re pleased to be able to house it within Southside. Birmingham LGBT Health & Wellbeing Centre has gone from strength to strength since it opened its doors in January and we’re excited to see how The Vault will make a difference to the LGBT community.”

    Birmingham LGBT has recently been awarded an Investors in People Standard. Investors in People specialises in transforming business performance through people and objectives. The Standard is a framework of best practice that helps organisations meet their goals by supplying advice, providing access to specialists and networks, monitoring progress and benchmarking performance against world class standards.

    To find out what else Birmingham’s Southside district has to offer, please visit www.enjoysouthside.co.uk

  • London a step closer to winning Gay Games 2018

    London was announced as a shortlisted city for the Gay Games in 2018 along with Paris and Limerick.

    London’s bid to host the 2018 Gay Games was given a boost today when it was announced it had been shortlisted to go through to the final round.

    The London 2018 Committee submitted their bid in February this year after 18 months of hard work to secure the support of a range of LGBT groups up and down the country.

    High profile backers of the bid include the Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, Hugh Robertson Sports Minister, London’s Mayor Boris Johnson and John Bercow, Speaker of the House of Commons, who have all issued statements in support of the bid, highlighting London’s worldwide reputation for tolerance and diversity.

    The London team will prepare for the arrival of site evaluation inspectors in July from the Gay Games organisers. The evaluators will be shown the venues for London’s Games which will include facilities in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, and will meet the team and communities supporting their bid.

    The cities shortlisted alongside London are Paris and Limerick. The announcement was made via a video message from the Federation of Gay Games in San Francisco.

    The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, said,

    “This is fantastic news and a testimony to the hard work of the London Gay Games bid team. London could host a world-beating event in 2018, underlining our city’s reputation as a tolerant place to live and visit. I wish London’s organising team every success as they progress to this next crucial stage of the selection process.”

    Alex Davis, Chair of the London 2018 bid said,

    “We are thrilled that London has been shortlisted to host the Gay Games in 2018. This is an amazing opportunity to showcase London, and our vibrant LGBT community and we look forward to showing all that London has to offer to the FGG site inspectors in July.”

    Voting was carried out by 30 member organisations of the Federation of Gay Games (FGG) along with eligible board members.

  • One week till Oxford Pride

    A week full of activities to celebrate Oxford Pride will commence from today as Oxford gears up for its 11th Pride

    A fantastic turn out at Oxford Pride’s launch party last night means that the festivities are well underway for what is hoped will be the best Oxford Pride ever.

    There are activities all week in Oxford leading up to the main Parade and Pride event this forthcoming weekend.

    Here’s some of what’s coming up:

    Saturday 1st June

    14:00-16:00 Queer Oxford: Walk on the Wilde Side

    Meeting at Magdalen Bridge. How well do you know the LGBT past in Oxford? Join a casual stroll around Oxford as we explore 600 years in this ‘City of Romance’.

    Sunday 2nd June

    12:00-16:00 Rainbow Families LGBT Picnic

    At Bury Knowle Park Headington – Enjoy an afternoon of fun & games for LGBT families of all shapes & sizes! Look for the rainbow flags.

    17:00-18:00 Pride Dog Show

    At The Jolly Farmers, Paradise Street OX1 1LD – Prizes for Best Trick, Look-a-like, Cutest, Butchest, and more! Donations to Pride.

    19:30-21:00 First Sunday: Labyrinth and Communion

    At St Columba’s United Reformed Church, Alfred Street, Oxford, OX1 4EH A modern take on an ancient meditation practice. A spiritual journey into our self, toward the pine, and back out to the modern world.

    Monday 3rd June

    06:30-07:30 Free Fitness for Pride

    At All Saints Church Hall, New High Street, OX3 7AL – Free Trial of the Fitness and Fat Loss Bootcamp. It’s a 1-hour wake-up workout on Mon, Wed & Fri.

    08:00-16:00 Be Beautifully Strong

    Consultation, Gym Induction & Takeaway Program for Women: Leave your boring workouts behind you … come and be inspired! Bookings essential for your £10 session

    19:00-21:00 The Oxford LGBT Book Club

    Meeting at The Chequers, High Street OX1 4DH – Reading Fingersmith by Sarah Waters

    20:30-23:00 The Pride Quiz

    At The Jolly Farmers OX1 1LD – A fun night with Cash Prizes – Groups of 2-6 people, £2 per person – Free Buffet

    Tuesday 4th June

    20:00-21:30 Lesbian History Group: The notorious Eliza Robertson

    At The Castle Tavern (Downstairs). Talk on how an 18th century Blackheath schoolteacher became notorious for swindling her partner and her neighbours. All women welcome.

    20:00-23:00 Wine & Wisdom

    At The Castle Tavern, Paradise Street OX1 1LD – Join Rob for a unique Cheese, Wine & Quiz night.

    22:00-03:00 Poptarts

    At Baby Love Bar, Kind Edward Street OX1 4HS – Oxford’s longest running LGBT night where town and gown meet in style

     

    Wednesday 5th June

    06:30-07:30 Free Fitness for Pride

    At All Saints Church Hall, New High Street, OX3 7AL – Free Trial of the Fitness and Fat Loss Bootcamp. It’s a 1-hour wake-up workout on Mon, Wed & Fri.

    17:30-19:00 The University of Oxford LGBT Staff Group and Equality and persity Unit: Pride Panel Debate

    At the University Natural History Museum, OX1 3PW – A panel discussion on LGBT issues, how far we’ve come and how we’re still “not there yet”. All welcome

    Thursday 6th June

    From 18:00 Oxford Area LGBT University Staff Social Group: 1st Thursday Drinks

    At The University Club, 11 Mansfield Road OX1 3SZ – This casual monthly after works drinks gathering is an opportunity to meet new people or catch up with friends in a relaxed friendly atmosphere. We will have a rainbow flag on the table to help newcomers find us. All are welcome.

    18:00-21:00 Pride Curry Night

    At The Jolly Farmers, OX1 1LD Come along to an all-you-can-eat curry night for just £6.99. All profits going to Oxford Pride.

    20:00-23:00 Karaoke

    At The Castle Tavern, Paradise Street OX1 1LD – Share your vocal skills for a fun filled evening with Donations to Oxford Pride.

    22:00-23:00 Lashings of Ginger Beer Time presents Fanny Whittington: A Queer Sort of Pantomime

    At the Old Fire Station, 40 George Street, OX1 2AQ – £8 full/ £6 cons. Young orphan Fanny Whittington sets off to London… but whatever the streets are paved with, it’s definitely not gold. Can Fanny save her pet rat Basil from mortal peril (BOO!), win the love interest of her dreams (AWWW!) and avoid becoming the world’s most unpaid intern? Find out in this anarchic LGBTQ+ pantomime! Show 8pm Friday & Saturday too!

     

    Friday 7th June

    06:30-07:30 Free Fitness for Pride

    At All Saints Church Hall, New High Street, OX3 7AL – Free Trial of the Fitness and Fat Loss Bootcamp. It’s a 1-hour wake-up workout on Mon, Wed & Fri.

     

    Saturday 8th June

    12:00-13:00 Pride Parade

    City Centre Starts at Cornmarket & Ship Streets.

    12:00-20:00 Pride Event

    Oxpens Field Next to the Ice Rink, OX1 1RQ

    20:00- late Pride After Parties

    Castle Tavern, Jolly Farmers & Plush Lounge

     

    NOT THERE YET

    Oxford Pride’s theme for Pride 2013 is “Not There Yet”, examining that whilst we have come a long way in recent years in terms of LGBT rights, we still have a way to go to achieve full equality.

    Globally, there are over seventy countries that outlaw homosexuality, and far more where same-sex marriages are not permitted, whether labelled as ‘marriage’ or otherwise. Despite the fact that homosexuality is punishable by the death penalty in Uganda, LGBT Ugandans held their first Pride

    Parade last year with nearly a hundred risking their lives and turning ut for the festivities.

     

    Whilst we in the UK don’t have to fear legal repercussions for our orientation or gender identities like many in other countries do, we still have a way to go to achieve full equality, and the ability to live free from discrimination.

    OXFORD PRIDE is a 10-day arts and cultural festival from Friday 31 May to Sunday 9 June. You are invited to join in the celebration of lesbian, gay, bi, trans and queer life in Oxfordshire.

    For more information visit: http://www.oxford-pride.org.uk

  • PRIDE | Oxford Pride kicks off Pride Week

    Oxford Pride is readying to kick off its Pride week with its launch on the 31st May.

    The Pride which celebrates its tenth year, is kicking off its Pride week with a launch party at the Boiler Room Gallery, Jam Factory, 27 Park End Street OX1 1HU – Featuring speeches & entertainment including an interactive performance by Stavroula Kounadea

    Then later on there is the after party at The Plush Lounge, 27 Park End Street OX1 1HU – Sponsored by Plush. Open to the public from 10.00pm to late.

    In March 2013 Oxford Pride received registered charity status.

    NOT THERE YET

    Oxford Pride’s theme for Pride 2013 is “Not There Yet”, examining that whilst we have come a long way in recent years in terms of LGBT rights, we still have a way to go to achieve full equality.

    Globally, there are over seventy countries that outlaw homosexuality, and far more where same-sex marriages are not permitted, whether labelled as ‘marriage’ or otherwise. Despite the fact that homosexuality is punishable by the death penalty in Uganda, LGBT Ugandans held their first Pride

    Parade last year with nearly a hundred risking their lives and turning ut for the festivities.

    Whilst we in the UK don’t have to fear legal repercussions for our orientation or gender identities like many in other countries do, we still have a way to go to achieve full equality, and the ability to live free from discrimination.

    OXFORD PRIDE is a 10-day arts and cultural festival from Friday 31 May to Sunday 9 June. You are invited to join in the celebration of lesbian, gay, bi, trans and queer life in Oxfordshire.

  • UK Government delay gay marriage vote

    A vote due to take place on Monday 3rd June to legalise same-sex marriage in the UK has been delayed by a day.

    The bill, which is to be voted upon in the Lords will now take place on Tuesday 4th June 2013 in the daytime after ‘supporters warned voting in the early hours could put the bill at risk’ reports Pinknews.co.uk

    Around 80 peers are due to debate the bill which raised concerns that the vote could have been delayed until 2.00AM.

    Speaking to Huffington Post, shadow equalities minister Baroness Thornton said, ‘significant number of peers who wanted to support the bill would not be “strong enough to stay until 3am in the morning”.

    The bill was debated and voted upon in the House of Commons and must be voted on in the House of Lords in order to become law.

  • HISTORY: Manchester Canal Street

    Manchester Gay Village has a long history that makes it truly vintage. Starting as an underground scene in the sixties, through the decades it has transformed to what it is today: one of the most vibrant gay scenes in the UK. In this article, we’ll cover the significant events that led to this transformation, describe the Village today and briefly contemplate its future.

    In the 60s the area that would become the Village was deserted following the collapse of the cotton industry. Having been industrialised it was a gloomy part of the city with little life. The night visitors to the area were either men looking for prostitutes or the prostitutes themselves.

    At this point it was still illegal for men to have sex with men, gay people were isolated, not seen as part of society and often encouraged to conform and get married to someone of the opposite sex.

    The New Union Pub started out as a place for men to meet female prostitutes, but it soon started to attract a small number of gay men. Female prostitutes and gay men might sound like an odd combination, but it was a relationship of mutual legal protection. If the Police ever raided, the prostitutes would pretend to be the gay men’s girlfriends so that neither could be arrested for their respective crimes: prostitution or men that are having sex with men.

    In 1967 after campaigning in Manchester, London and other cities the law was changed so that men having sex with men were no longer doing anything illegal, but societal attitudes would take longer to change.

    In the 70s the civil rights movement in Manchester continued to campaign for equality. The Rembrandt Pub opened as well as one or two others; but these few venues were regularly raided by the police aiming to catch gay men engaging in sexual activity in public places. The police applied the law unfairly, as it was only applied to gay men and often the attitudes of police officers were perceived as homophobic.

    Then the early 80s came and along with it HIV/AIDS. This caused an increase in homophobia in society but caused the gay community to stand together. In the Village the Thompson Arms seemed to have opened at around this time, if not slightly earlier.

    By the late 80s more gay people were coming out. In Manchester protests against Section 28 took place that passed through the city centre, the Village and ended at the town hall. At one of these Manchester protests around 20,000 people marched and what was significant was that: they weren’t all gay. In the Village New York, New York, Queen Club (now Company Bar) and Napoleons opened at around this time. The New Union and Rembrandt were still going strong.

    In the late 80s Manchester Pride was also born, although it wasn’t named as that until many years later. It started with the owners of Rembrandt, Napoleons and the New Union wanting to do something on the August Bank Holiday weekend, the main event in the first year was an afternoon bring and buy sale. The vigil aspect came a few years later, when the gay people of Manchester started losing their friends, lovers and life partners to HIV/AIDS.

    The 90s brought a glass-fronted revolution started by the newly opened Manto bar. Before Manto the Village had a very “behind closed doors” feel to it, and this glass-fronted venue was symbolic of being: out and proud. New bars sprang up including Metz, Prague 5 (now G-A-Y), Vanilla and Via Fossa. Poptastic and Cruz 101 clubs opened around this time as well.

    The late 90s brought Queer As Folk, a TV programme that dramatised life of three gay men in the Village. It was aired on Channel 4 and signified that there had been a major shift in societal attitudes towards gay people.

    By the noughties the Village was similar to as it is now but the construction of The Beacon of Hope was significant. The Beacon of Hope stands on the edge of the canal in Sackville Park. It is a beautiful artistic steal structure that lights up in the evening symbolic of remembrance. Although we’ve moved on, we’ve not forgotten our gay brothers and sisters who’ve been lost to HIV/AIDS.

    The Village today is a clean and bright setting with plenty of bars and clubs that gives it a vibrant atmosphere. It has the Village Business Association (business owners group), the Lesbian and Gay Foundation (a charity aimed at improving the health & well-being of gay people), Manchester Pride (one of the biggest pride events in the country) and a myriad of community groups around every sort of leisure activity you could imagine. If you want to find out more about Manchester Gay Village, see our guide to gay Manchester

    Looking at the Village’s history one thing that is clear: it has always brought the gay community of Manchester together. Once together gay people have always instigated the change they want to happen. As long as the Village continues to bring the gay community together, be a part of the changes and keep up with them, it’s future will remain secure.

    Antony Simpson, writer of this article wasn’t born until the mid-eighties. So in addition to speaking to some of his older friends who witnessed to some of the historic events in this article, he would also like to reference the following sources:

    Gaydio: Your Story Radio Documentary, available:http://yourstory.gaydio.co.uk/documentaries/

    Guardian: Village people by Beatrix Campbell, available:

    http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2004/aug/07/gayrights.communities

    Channel 4 OD: Queer As Folk

    http://www.channel4.com/programmes/queer-as-folk/4od

     Wikipedia: Canal Street (Manchester), available:

    http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canal_Street_(Manchester)


  • THEATRE REVIEW | The History Boys, Sheffield

    ★★★★ | The History Boys, Sheffield

    Based in the fictional Cutlers Grammar School in Sheffield, this award winning play tells the story of a group of young students as they prepare for university interviews at Oxford and Cambridge.

    The headmaster of the school is determined to propel the school up the ranks of the league tables by increasing the number of pupils who are accepted by the prestigious establishments. In his resolve to do so, he enlists a supply teacher called Irwin, whose sole responsibility is to fully prepare the boys by employing a rigid teaching structure and encouraging them to stick strictly to stock answers, whether they believe what they are saying to be true or not. This approach is in stark contrast with that taken by the boy’s favourite teacher, Hector, who is eccentric and laid back, revelling in the joy of knowledge, whilst encouraging the boys in their free thinking and exploration of their own interests, allowing them to forge their own educational path. Unfortunately, one of Hector’s interests is taking the young students out on his motorcycle and touching them up, something that the boys seem to readily accept as harmless fun, but which eventually leads to a confrontation between Hector and the headmaster. As the two teachers and their respective teaching styles clash and the young boys turn into young men, the relationships between the students, both with each other and with the staff, is examined which leads to tension, sexual angst and divided loyalties.

    Sheffield Theatres once again excels, this time with their production of this award winning Alan Bennet play, which has a wordy, warm and witty script. Within its critique of the education system and its social commentary on the almost hierarchical nature of learning, the play also explores, both gently and more blatantly, a number of themes surrounding the often painful transition into adulthood and aspects of accepting and coming to terms with homosexuality and sexuality in general. Posner (beautifully played by Oliver Coopersmith) says at one point “I’m a Jew. I’m small. I’m a homosexual. And I live in Sheffield. I’m f***ed”. This neatly sums up his frustration at his status as the youngest of the class and more importantly, his unrequited and unconditional love for his fellow pupil, Dakin (played by Tom Rhys Harris). Dakin is a cocksure and bravado filled young man, who relishes in his ladies’ man status, yet who develops a deep admiration for and relationship with his teacher, Irwin. This leads to the point where Dakin propositions Irwin and offers himself readily; causing Irwin to face his own closeted sexuality. There is also the darker undertone running through the play of the abuse of position and trust by the teachers, Hector who is touching the boys when he takes them out on his motorcycle (much to Posner’s annoyance that it is never “his turn”) through to the direct confrontation between Dakin and Irwin whereby Irwin’s teaching of the importance, or otherwise, of the truth is challenged.The set made excellent use of the Crucible’s unique stage, effortlessly merging the scenes and creating a real school hall feel, from the parquet gym floor to the strip lighting, the PE benches to the plastic chairs. The play was well directed, ensuring the whole audience felt included and addressed. The performances were all of a very high quality, especially from Edwin Thomas who excelled as Irwin in what is his professional stage debut. Matthew Kelly undertook his role of Hector with a quiet confidence, but his performance was overtaken by the lead boys, namely Will Featherstone as Scripps, Tom Rhys Harris as Dakin and Oliver Coopersmith expertly demonstrating the teenage angst of burgeoning sexuality.The play was scattered with bridging sequences for the set changes, which involved short, loud blasts of electro new romantic and punk music accompanied by over exaggerated schoolboy dancing. These segments which sharply transported you back to your own school days were entertaining and nicely contrasted with calmer, more classic aspects of the script. The script was wordy, with long soliloquies delivered by the characters, but was punctuated with warm and gentle comedy delivered by likeable characters. The play was slightly long for me (perhaps it could have been around 20 minutes shorter), but this is not a criticism of the production in any way and more a reflection on the type of theatre I prefer. Overall, it was exceptionally well performed, staged and presented and was a memory invoking, through provoking piece of quasi-nostalgia tinged theatre which tackles head on a number of social issues within the education system.

    The History Boys is currently at the Crucible Theatre, Sheffield until the 8th June 2013.