THEGAYUK

Tag: UK

  • Homophobic knife attack in Liverpool – two men left with injuries

    Homophobic knife attack in Liverpool – two men left with injuries

    Police in Liverpool are appealing for information after a homophobic assault, which involved a knife, in Liverpool over the weekend.

    geralt / Pixabay

    Police in Liverpool are investigating after it was reported that at around 9.20pm, on Saturday, two men, both in their 30s were walking down Manningham Road in the direction of Priory Road, when they were approached by three male youths. The youths made homophobic insults towards them, before, it is alleged, one of them produced a knife and assaulted the men.

    One of the victims sustained injuries to his head and neck described as serious but non-life threatening while the second sustained a minor hand injury. They have both been taken to hospital for treatment and were left incredibly shaken by the incident.

    The offenders are described as between 12 and 15 years old, with one wearing a dark bubble coat and one riding a bike.

    Detectives are urging any witnesses to come forward.

    Detective Inspector Tara Denn said, “This was an appalling and unprovoked attack on two men simply making their way home and we are working tirelessly to locate those responsible.

    “Two men have been left with significant injuries tonight and the hate and violence that has been inflicted on them is simply unacceptable and won’t be tolerated on the streets of Merseyside.

    “I would ask anyone in Manningham Road or the surrounding areas this evening to please come forward with any information. You may have witnessed the incident or youths making off from the scene, or even have CCTV or dashcam footage, and I would urge you to please get in touch with police. Likewise, if you know who is responsible for this crime, please do the right thing and let us know.

    “There is absolutely no place for hate crime in society and we know how much of a massive impact it has on victims. I want to reach out to the LBGT community, who I know will be deeply saddened by this news and reassure you that we stand with you and if you report such incidents to the police, we will do our utmost to support and protect you and bring those responsible to justice.

    “We are passionate about maintaining the right of all our communities to be treated with fairness, dignity and respect and by working closely with our partners will continue to work to eradicate hate crime of all forms.

    “Victims can report directly to the police where experienced hate crime officers will treat them with sensitivity and compassion, or via third party reporting centres in fire stations, citizen advice bureaus and hospitals where the information will be passed on.”

    Anyone with information is asked to contact Merseyside Police social media desk via Twitter @MerPolCC or Facebook Merseyside PoliceCC. You can also call 101 quoting incident reference 19100328734 or contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously, on 0800 555 111 or via their online form at: https://crimestoppers-uk.org/give-information/give-information.

  • Bobby Norris’ petition against homophobia online surpasses 150000 signatures

    Bobby Norris’ petition against homophobia online surpasses 150000 signatures

    Bobby Norris’s petition calling on the government to recognise online homophobia as a specific crime has surged to over 150,000 signatures.

    Bobby Norris from The Only Way Is Essex
    From Lime Productions

    TOWIE star Bobby Norris’s petition asking the UK’s government to make online homophobia a specific offence reached over 150,000 signatures. As it stands the petition has reached 152,241 signatures.

    Because the petition reached over 100,000 signatures it will now be discussed in the houses of parliament on the 1st July 2019, which anyone will be able to watch on the official YouTube channel for Parliament.

    Working cross-Government to challenge inequality

    Responding to the petition a spokesperson for the Government wrote, “The Government recognises the harm that homophobic online messages can cause. We are working cross-Government to challenge inequality and make the UK’s online environment a safer place for everyone”.

    In his original petition, Bobby wrote, that he was “devastated” by homophobic abused levelled at the LGBT+ community and wanted it to be debated in parliament. He continued, “Just because I am on TV I don’t think that makes it acceptable to be sent homophobic messages/ comments on social media platforms.

    “Nobody should have to receive these comments.

    “I won’t go into detail as to the various names I have been called, but this should not be acceptable and can have an impact on people’s mental health and has certainly helped in making my anxiety and low self-esteem worse by receiving them”

     

     

  • RESTAURANT REVIEW | Kalifornia Kitchen, London

    RESTAURANT REVIEW | Kalifornia Kitchen, London

    ★★★★ | Kalifornia Kitchen, London

    Do you want food that will make you look and feel beautiful? Well, according to Kalifornia Kitchen, their food will do just that!

    Located both in Fulham and on Percy Street right off Tottenham Court Road, vegan chef and influencer Loui Blake has opened Kalifornia Kitchen, a restaurant dedicated to all things vegan and it’s already known as a vegan lovers paradise. Concentrating on nutritious and sustainable food and drinks, utilising the power of plants and abstaining from any animal products or harmful plastics, a visit to Kalifornia Kitchen will be good for your inner organs if you’re not used to this type of food. And if you are strictly a vegan then more than likely you already know about this place as it’s gotten rave reviews.

    Extra nice but a bit confused staff made our visit on a Thursday night memorable. With no idea what to order, I threw caution to the wind and choose a few obscure dishes. The Banana Skin Tacos were amazing. Yes – banana skin was a bit of a substitute for meat, and we ate them up. With rainbow slaw & house mayonnaise and a delicious bbq sauce, this £7 dish is one I would order again. The Pickled Cucumber – spicy hummus with pickles and side crudite, and pita bread was also a delicious and yummy starter (£8).

    The mains were also very interesting. I was torn between the Chickpea & Date Tagine or the Mexican Beans, so I had the beans (!!). At a whopping £14, the beans were basically black beans served in two courgettes (called on the menu ‘boats’) with very very delicious avocado and mango salad – different, very good, refreshing, however, a bit expensive.

    My friend gobbled up the Classic (not Klassic?) Kalilfornia Burger. Served on a pretzel bun, it looked like a real burger! However, the flavour, though not for me, was a bit raw, probably only because it was vegan, and it was served with gouda, caramelised onion, red cabbage, romaine lettuce and a special burger sauce. Served with ‘normal’ fries that were extremely tasty, the dish is worth the £13.50 price. Spicy Kale Chips, though not very spicy, were strange tasting with its cashew cheese sprinkled on top of each chip before it’s baked – different. Perhaps an acquired taste.

    Drinks are definitely something to rave about there. Very healthy smoothies, juices (with names such as Healing, Balanced, Immunity) are super tasty and you feel healthier the more you drink, with ingredients including quinoa, pineapple, tumeric, ginger, mint, etc…

    I have to point out that other dishes on the menu sounded very tempting – including the Rainbow Bowl (cherry tomato, cauliflower couscous with pomegranate, activated seeds, roasted butternut squash, organic coconut yoghurt, fresh avocado and falafel), Butter Curry, and the Fish & Chips that would be good for a second visit.

    We didn’t have a chance to try their dessert as the Percy Street location closed at ten on the night we visited, but we were too stuffed anyway to try the Matcha Cheesecake, Pecan Pie and the Sticky Toffee Pudding.

    Dinner for two at Kalifornia Kitchen won’t set you back more than £60 (if you order starters and mains) – I’m not sure where you’ll find a cheaper vegan meal this central. The restaurant itself is beautifully designed with California style colours (lots of pink with whitewashed walls) with picnic style tables for a very calm, soothing and relaxed atmosphere. It does feel a bit like you are in California. There is an upstairs area that has the feel of great aunts sitting room. For a truly adventurous (for meat eaters) meal, Kalifornia Kitchen is a very unique and lovely dining experience.

    https://www.kaliforniakitchen.co.uk

    19 Percy Street W1T 1DY
    Fulham Market Hall, 472 Fulham Road, SW6 1BY
    info@kaliforniakitchen.co.uk
    +44 (0) 207 504 4444
    Opening Times
    Tues-Sun / 11:00-22:00 (19:00 Sun)

  • LGBT+ teens told to “kill themselves” by homophobes after pride event in Stoke-On-Trent

    Cops in Stoke On Trent are investigating after teens who attended the pride event are attacked on the street.

    Officers from the Staffordshire police force are investigating a hate crime after a group of teenagers allegedly verbally abused and attacked another group of teens who were making their way home from Stoke On Trent Pride.

    One of the victims was also punched and kicked in the attack, according to the police report.

    Another victim claims that the attackers told them to “kill themselves” as well as using anti-gay slurs against the LGBT+ group.

    The entire incident was filmed and shows scenes of a horrific and vile attack on members on the young LGBT+ friends – all aged between 14 and 16 who live in the local area.

    The attackers can be heard using homophobic slurs against their victims.

    According to The Mirror, the teens were attacked after leaving the annual Stoke On Trent pride over the weekend and were taunted and attacked as they tried to get away in a taxi.

    A 14-year-old girl, who identifies as bisexual, told StokeonTrentLive, “We’d had a great time at Pride then all of a sudden this group appeared and started chasing after the taxi. They pulled open the door and start attacking them.

    “There were girls screaming at us. They told us to ‘go kill yourselves’ and said we should die. One of them shouted ‘faggots’. I’ve had a few things said to me before but nothing like this. It was mainly girls but there were some boys too. It was right outside the YMCA.”

    Anyone with information is asked to call 101 quoting incident number 911 of June 15.

    Alternatively, contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

  • This school in Cornwall is set to become the first in the UK to play host to a Pride

    This school in Cornwall is set to become the first in the UK to play host to a Pride

    In stark contrast to scenes elsewhere in the UK, one Cornwall School is set to play host to a Pride event this Friday.

     

    (C) GOOGLE MAPS

    Helston school in Cornwall will become the first school in the UK to host a pride event when the world famous Cornwall Pride tour makes a stop there on Friday morning.

     

    The Pride will be a stark contrast to scenes elsewhere in the UK, where some parents have been protesting the inclusion of LGBT+ acceptance and tolerance lessons.

    The Cornwall Pride tour will be stopping at 11 AM at Helston school and is described by Matthew Kenworthy-Gomes, the chairperson of Cornwall Pride as something “positive” in contrast to the protests and legal battles seen in Birmingham in recent months, “It really is a great positive news story” he added.

    He continued, “With the support of First Kernow (our regional bus service). We are taking two double-decker busses, packed full of amazing people representing different; charities, organizations, sponsors and partners. Each to support, represent and bring Pride to 18 towns in Cornwall over the two days! With the largest PRIDE FLAG in the UK!!”

    Where is the Cornwall Pride tour stopping off?

    On Friday, 21st June the tour will be stopping at

    Falmouth, Prince Charles Pier 9.50 AM

    Helston School, 11 AM

    Porthleven, The Green, 11.55 AM

    Penzance, Promenade, 12.45 PM

    St Ives Harbour Beach, 1.55 PM

    Hayle, Spar Shop, 2.55 PM

    Cambrone, Commerical Square, 3.30 PM

    Redruth, Fore Street, 4.15 PM

    Truro, Piazza, 5.05 PM

     

    On Saturday 22nd June

    Padstow Harbour, 10 AM

    Wadebridge, John Betjeman Centre, 11.05 AM

    Bodmin, Shire Hall, 11.05 AM

    Launceston, Castle, 12.55 PM

    Callington, Saltash Road Playing Field, 2.05 PM

    Saltash, Pier Old Ferry Roady, 2.50 PM

    Liskeard, Town Centre, 4 PM

    Lostwithiel, King George Field, 5.05 OM

    St Austell TBC

  • Gay man found dead, house sitting for a friend

    Gay man found dead, house sitting for a friend

    An Irish man was found dead in a luxury flat he was housesitting after inviting a man for a dating app hook up.

    Adrian Murphy, 43, was found dead in a flat in Battersea, London, which he had been house sitting. It is thought that he may have laid dead for up to three days before he was discovered, on the 4th of June.

    The man, from Kilkenny in Ireland, had apparently organised a hook up on a dating app and has the hallmarks of a similar attack on a 40-year-old man in east-London just days beforehand.

    The flat in which he was staying had been ransacked and property allegedly was stolen.

    It is thought that he may have been drugged, police are still awaiting upon a toxicology report from Mr Murphy’s autopsy.

    A post-mortem examination at St George’s Hospital on Wednesday, 6 June failed to determine a cause of death and detectives are now awaiting the result of further tests.

    Arrests made

    A Detective with the Metropolitan Police, Rob Pack confirmed that a 24-year-old man and a 17-year-old girl were arrested on the 12th June on suspicion of murder, rape and theft.

    A 24-year-old man [A] was arrested late on Tuesday, 12 June, on suspicion of murder, rape and theft. He has since been bailed to attend a police station at a later date.

    A 17-year-old girl [B] was arrested earlier on 12 June on suspicion of murder and theft. She has been released under investigation.

    Detective Pack said, “We have linked these two incidents through our suspects and our enquiries continue to establish the exact circumstances.

    “We know the victim in the Walthamstow incident met the male suspect through a social networking site and we are investigating whether there is a similar connection in Mr Murphy’s death.

    “Both incidents happened over a short period of time and thorough enquiries have led us to make these prompt arrests. However, there is a possibility other offences may have been committed before 30 May.

    “Has anything similar happened to you, or someone you know? A meeting arranged online that has led to intoxication, robbery and possibly sexual assault. Please have the confidence to approach my team so we can investigate what happened to you. You can also contact third party organisations such as the charity Galop. You will be taken seriously and treated with sensitivity.

    “I would also be keen to talk to anyone who saw anything suspicious on the afternoon of 4 June around Lombard Road, anything that looked out of place.”

    Enquiries have linked this incident to an earlier allegation of rape at an address in E17 on Thursday, 30 May at around 13:00hrs.

    READ ALSO: How to stay safe when meeting people from dating apps

    Echoes of Barking Murders

    Stephen Port
    CREDIT: met police

    Similarly to the Stephen Port murders, in which the serial killer drugged, raped and the murdered his victims, he found on gay daying apps, the 40-year-old victim who survived his ordeal, believes he was drugged by a man he had invited to his flat after meeting him on a social networking platform.

    He became unconscious and was found later that day by a friend who raised the alarm.

    The victim was taken to Whipps Cross Hospital and has since been discharged.

     

    Anyone who can help is asked to contact 101, quoting CAD 6467/4 June, Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or the charity Galop or via their Shoutline on 020 7704 2040.

  • RESTAURANT REVIEW | STK Restaurant, London

    RESTAURANT REVIEW | STK Restaurant, London

    ★★★★ | STK Restaurant, London

    The food at STK Restaurant, on Aldwych, is all in the name – steak, and it does it very well.

    As part of the One Group, a global leader in the hospitality industry and the creator of the international restaurant brand STK, with locations all around the globe, including Mexico City and Ibiza, the STK name is synonymous with great cuts of meat – basically a meat lover’s paradise. With Sirloin, New York Strip, and Rib Eye, among others on the menu, you really can’t go wrong when ordering any of them. One

    STK has a DJ playing from Thursday – Saturday, so if you don’t mind a club-like vibe with your meal, with music that gets louder and louder as the night goes on, then you’ll love it there. However, if you are at a large table then good luck trying to hear, and speak to, other people who are sitting right next to you.

    But STK is worth the trip for the steak of course. I had the 350 USDA Grain Fed Rib Eye, and it was superb. Cooked medium well, to perfection, and a bit darkened on both sides, I was in heaven with every bite. It was so juicy that I really didn’t need the accompanying sauce (sauces from mild to spicy are on offer at no additional cost). And the old adage – you get what you pay for – rings true here. At £45, the Rib Eye is not cheap, and nothing comes with it, but it was worth every penny. Other meats on the menu include the small range (up to 250g including Rump Steak and New York Strip), to Medium (up to 350g including Fed Sirloin and Dry Aged Fillet) to Large (up to 600g including Fed Sirloin and T Bone) to Extra Large/Sharing (from 700g to 950g including Tomahawk and Aberdeen Angus).

    My friend had opted for the Seared Salmon Fillet. At a relatively low £20, he said it was one of the best salmons he has ever had, and it was excellent value for the money because of its size, and it also came with peas in a Beurre Blanc Sauce and with bits of potato Gnocchi. The presentation of the food on the dish was actually beautiful, stunning actually. Other dishes on the menu include Atlantic Sea Bass, Corn Fed BBQ Chicken Breast, Pork Belly, among others.

    Backtracking a bit, our starters were very good. I had the Compressed Watermelon Salad, a huge chunk of watermelon that sat on oil with creamed feta cheese on top sprinkled with what tasted like basil leaves – it was oh so different and oh so refreshing. My friend ordered the Kent Green Asparagus – four large sprigs with truffle cauliflower puree, hen egg yolk, and very tasty.

    Sides were needed and wanted – and we ordered three. The Broccolini, with Chilli, delicious pine nuts & pecorino was very very good, as was the Green Beans covered in almonds. The Mushroom pot pie, rarely seen on a menu as a side, could pass for a main dish. For me, it was too milky, and I could not eat it, though my friend liked it.

    Nothing really jumped out at us from the Dessert menu (there is always at least a couple that stand out at other restaurants), so I decided in the cheesecake, which was good, and with honey Kataifi and Coulis made for a nice touch. My friends Panacotta had a massive dollop of mango on top, which was a nice touch, and he absolutely loved it.

    At the beginning we decided to have STK’s signature cocktails – so I went for the STK Sparkling Sangria – which was a massive drink with Moët and Chandon, St. Germain Mint & Lime Juice, and soda and I liked it so much it’s going to be my new drink of choice. The STK New Era had a strong taste of rum with added peach flavour, and it was a bit sweet for those who like their drinks with a strong kick. I also had a Martini Expresso like I always do and their version did not disappoint.

    STK, while like a loud disco on Thurs- Saturdays, is so trendy it hurts. The room is beautifully decorated, with subtle lighting and beautifully designed furniture and a large dining room with an attached bar area on the Aldwych side of the restaurant. Sitting on the ground floor of the modern and stylish M Hotel, STK has excellent service (our waiter was managing several large tables at the same time and we never felt neglected) and is ideal for young and youngish cool (and preferably rich) people/parties.

    STK is very friendly, with stylish decor, and the steak is just delicious!

  • Cornwall Pride’s world famous Pride Tour is happening again this weekend

    Cornwall Pride’s world famous Pride Tour is happening again this weekend

    Cornwall Pride’s world famous Pride tour is happening again this weekend,  this is where the tour will be stopping and where you can join in with the celebrations.

    This weekend, look out for Cornwall Pride‘s tour bus as it weaves its way around the entirety of Cornwall, bringing pride to the people of Cornwall.

    The tour, which is the first of its kind anywhere in the world, is going to be bigger and larger than last year’s tour and is spread over two days.

    The tour will be taking in 18 towns across Cornwall over the two days – with plenty of time to get involved with the activities and festivities.

    There will be two mini pride events on the Friday in Truro, Cornwall and on Saturday afternoon in Saint Austell.

    Where is the Cornwall Pride tour stopping off?

    On Friday, 21st June the tour will be stopping at

    Falmouth, Prince Charles Pier 9.50 AM

    Helston School, 11 AM

    Porthleven, The Green, 11.55 AM

    Penzance, Promenade, 12.45 PM

    St Ives Harbour Beach, 1.55 PM

    Hayle, Spar Shop, 2.55 PM

    Cambrone, Commerical Square, 3.30 PM

    Redruth, Fore Street, 4.15 PM

    Truro, Piazza, 5.05 PM

    On Saturday 22nd June

    Padstow Harbour, 10 AM

    Wadebridge, John Betjeman Centre, 11.05 AM

    Bodmin, Shire Hall, 11.05 AM

    Launceston, Castle, 12.55 PM

    Callington, Saltash Road Playing Field, 2.05 PM

    Saltash, Pier Old Ferry Roady, 2.50 PM

    Liskeard, Town Centre, 4 PM

    Lostwithiel, King George Field, 5.05 OM

    St Austell TBC

  • Afterglow review: Go for the nudity, stay for the three-way

    Afterglow review: Go for the nudity, stay for the three-way

    ★★★ | Afterglow, London

    (C) Darren Bell

    A married gay couple welcome a third and things will never be the same with them again.

    In the show Afterglow, now playing at Southwark Playhouse, Josh (Sean Hart) and Alex (Danny Mahoney) live comfortably in a nice Manhattan apartment and enjoy other men’s company. Darius (Jesse Fox), all but 25 years old, gets involved in a three-way with them, however, Darius and Josh have an instant attraction. They start hooking up with each other, and it is at this point that we know where the story is going to go. But what complicates even more is that Josh and Alex are expecting a baby through a surrogate, and with Darius in the picture, what will happen not only with their relationship but also to their pending fatherhood?

    In a show that has nudity as a top billing (a device that’s sure to sell tickets), the actors are not shy and are naked in the very beginning – having a three way in bed. Getting undressed, shower scenes and lots of kissing add a bit more to the show. But this alone cannot save the fact that the scenery changes and the undressing take a bit too long, losing any sense of drama this show is trying to eke out. And it’s a bit frustrating because the actors are all actually quite good –  it’s the story that doesn’t do them justice.

    I would say go for the nude scenes –  they are worth the price of admission, just don’t expect much else.

    Afterglow plays at the Southwark Playhouse until 20th July 2019, book tickets.

  • CABERET THEATRE | Sven Ratzke

    CABERET THEATRE | Sven Ratzke

    BOWIE_BEAU BLITZKREIG! Lady Sasha savours the ravishing reinterpretations of Bowie’s Classics by Sven Ratzke, the Male cabaret doyenne supreme!  ★★★★★

    Zedel Brasserie, Piccadilly Circus Tube. 5 stars!

    Who needs tribute toss-pots lazily hi-jacking the star-power of dead pop princes? Not me, but way too many clueless clowns – AKA the brain-dead, general public – are gluttons for the non-stop, shameless, and – more often than not – shockingly poor acts of fawning, musical necrophilia called tribute shows.

    But – in a most bitter and ludicrous irony – the worst purveyors of tribute tripe are, most often, the original singers of modern standards themselves. Frankly, there are few spectacles on planet earth more pitiable than some pathetic ghost of a former star grasping at – and spectacularly missing – their totally extinct charisma.

    The worst offender? Arguably, Minelli, petulantly petrified in a lifestyle amber of raging mommy issues, cheesy pastiches of faux-decadence, deadbeat drama-queening and flaccid, grand-folly flings with chancers and confidence trickster train-wrecks. If nothing else, Liza’s a textbook lesson on how not to idolise your musical muse, which, quite disastrously, was her mom; who the f*ck needed a raging reincarnation of Judy’s manias, especially heightened by a seemingly obligatory, 1970s celebrity coke culture?

    Mercifully, some tribute acts have both style and dignity. Meet Sven Ratzke, a name inexplicably underexposed to UK audiences, but an interpreter of Bowie – and other, equally strange and maverick talents – par excellence. And why does Sven’s artistry tower far above bland, Bowie-by-numbers clones like the thoroughly glib and unengaging Dusty Limits? In a word, panache; Sven both respects Bowie’s repertoire and treats it with the semantic intimacy it deserves, making many of Bowie’s finest songs – Rock ‘n’ Roll Suicide or Heroes, for example – riveting disclosures and confessionals, not flayed symphonies of raw, spiritual anguish.

    And the effect of Sven’s approach? More exhilarating than a full-body blow-job; quite effortlessly, he captures the instantaneous magic sparked – and as quickly extinguished – by a chance, sexually-explicit whisper from a random street doorway. Never been hit on that way? How sad; in the darkened, midnight pavilions of Rue Saint-Denis, Paris’s immemorial hive of prostitution, a husky female sigh inviting instant intimacy sank an immediate fish-hook in my suddenly thrilled male flesh.

    And similarly, at Zedel – the perfect, faux-Art Deco setting for radical retromania – Sven’s radiantly seductive aura turns massed, gay male heads from the get-go. All zip-up, double-breasted, violet gabardine jumpsuit and Cuban-heeled, turquoise-glitter knee boots, he’s a textbook Aryan uber-jugen. And there are very few performers – straight, gay or magically in-between – who could convincingly rock a frosted, Farrah Fawcett-Majors feather-cut, but Sven simply transcends time-capsule retro-chic, his storming charisma making his sartorial choices seem intriguingly timeless and non-specific.

    It’s a heady, visual ambiguity he also brings to his singing, especially his hauntingly beautiful take on Where Are We Now, but Sven’s no one-note Bowie copyist; rather, he’s a startlingly inventive, improvisational raconteur who skewers reckless hecklers – like one obtuse, British jerkenstein at Zedel – with a word.

    In a seamless, utterly immersive framing narrative, Sven shares riveting memories of his magical, aural seduction on first hearing Bowie, and punctuates the songs with luscious anecdotes of Cold War Berlin diva Romy Haag, Bowie’s transsexual muse. Enchantingly, he’s bashfully modest regarding his own, very considerable songwriting chops – his song ‘The Torch’ brilliantly recreates the glamour of lost Berlin – and, like every truly exceptional talent, closes his short show leaving the audience simply pleading for more!

    Sadly – for his new mountain of instantly converted fans – Sven’s not back at Zedel or the UK until November, but we’d recommend booking ASAP – Sven is one world-class talent on the cusp of global adoration!

  • Theatre Review | Kinky Boots – National Tour

    ★★★★☆ | Kinky Boots, National Tour

    When his late father’s shoe factory is on the brink of closing down, Charlie readies himself to shut down the business; but a chance encounter with Lola, a drag queen, changes his fortunes, as he realises that the factory needs to continue making men’s shoes, but by doing so, needs to exchange brogues for high heels, and make a range of quality shoes for drag artists. But how will the new venture go down with the workers in Northampton?

    Kinky Boots is one of those shows whose reputation precedes it, and for its inaugural UK Tour, it does itself proud. For a touring production, Kinky Boots is a big show which oozes west end quality in its presentation and is slick, polished and professional; the set is superb, with its factory paraphilia littering the stage and the live orchestra only adds to the atmosphere.  Putting aside the rather flimsy plot, the show is all about the big production numbers, especially the gymnastic qualities of Everybody Say Yeah at the closing of Act 1, and the glamorous finale Raise You Up.

    From his explosive entrance in Land of Lola to a tender, powerful delivery of Hold Me In Your Heart, Kayi Ushe is absolutely delicious as Lola, stealing the show as he easily transitions from cracking camptastic cabaret to moments of tender vulnerability, standing head and shoulders above the cast. The rest of the cast are perfectly serviceable, but to be fair to them, it’s hard to compete with such a dominant stage presence.

    Based on a true story, and with songs by Cindi Lauper, Kinky Boots is packed full of colour, glamour, sequins and high energy musical numbers; and provides for an uplifting, smile-inducing, feel-good piece of theatre which effortlessly entertains and proves to be tremendous fun

    Kinky Boots is at Sheffield Theatres until 22nd July 2019, before continuing on its national tour.