THEGAYUK

Tag: UK

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, Apollo Theatre, London

    THEATRE REVIEW | Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, Apollo Theatre, London

    ★★★★☆ | Everybody’s Talking About Jamie

    (C) Matt Crockett

    Jamie, Jamie, Jamie. ‘Everybody’s Talking About Jamie!’ And damn right they should be. And it’s one year old!

    Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, in case you haven’t heard by now, is the heartwarming story of Jamie – a young man from Sheffield who is different from the other kids in his class.

    When his teacher asks her students what they want to be when they grow up, one says doctor, another says lawyer, while Jamie says that he wants to be a drag queen! Supported by his mother and her best friend, along with some of his best mates, who all happen to be girls, Jamie’s dream may eventually come true! But first, he has to overcome prejudice, as well as the school bully (and also an unloving father who has practically disowned him), to be able to be who he wants to be!

    Everybody’s Talking About Jamie opened to critical acclaim at the Sheffield Crucible in 2017, and has been playing to practically sold out audiences for exactly one year at London’s Apollo Theatre in the West End.

    It’s a heartwarming and enduring story that’s actually true. It’s based on the life of Jamie New – who appeared in a 2011 BBC documentary called Jamie: Drag Queen at 16. With Music by The Feeling’s Dan Gillespie Sells, and Books and Lyrics by Tom MacRae, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie is touching, but at the same time manufactured in the way Kinky Boots is (we all know how it is going to end).

    John McCrea is brilliant as Jamie – he really works the stage in those high high heels! And he’s a dead ringer for the real Jamie! Rebecca McKinnis is great as Jamie’s mum Margaret, and she does get a show-stopper or two (‘He’s my Boy’ may bring a tear to your eye).

    In a bit of stunt casting, Michelle Visage is the teacher, but it’s Shobna Gulati who plays, and is fierce, as Margaret’s best friend, and one of Jamie’s staunchest supporters.

    It’s a feel-good show with a feel-good message, and isn’t that we all need right now!

    Book tickets to see Everybody’s Talking About Jamie!

  • Man takes his own life following months of homophobic abuse

    A young Scottish man took his own life after months and months of homophobic bullying.

    Scott McIntosh was 28-years-old when he took his own life according to Scottish news site, Sunday Post. It alleges that Scott was targetted by an acquaintance, Kevin Edgar whom Scott knew from school. Edgar is said to have made a series of homophobic phone calls to Scott, after he came out as gay. Scott was a deep-sea diver from Aberdeen. He was also a father to a four-year-old boy.

    On Wednesday, the Glasgow Sheriff Court heard Edgar, 29,  admit to a charge of making an obscene phone call that related to Scott’s sexuality, the communication was said to be indecent, obscene or menacing character” and contained “homophobic remarks”.

    The anonymous calls and emails started 20 months before Scott finally killed himself.

    Edgar was originally charged under the Communications Act 2003 by making threatening phone calls and “electronic communications messages” over a four-month period.

    “took his life due to depression and anxiety”

    Scott died from suicide in Feb 2018, leaving behind his only son, Riley. In August his father, Doug McIntosh, told the Scottish Sun that his son, “took his own life due to depression and anxiety and that seems to be something a lot of young people go through these days.

    “It’s becoming a bit of an epidemic. But it’s a horrific thing for a family to go through”.

    Scott’s father is now raising money for Scott’s son, Riley. A JustGiving page has already raised £5,900. Doug McIntosh writes, “I started this campaign “For the Life of Riley” after losing my Son Scott in February 25th 2018 and want to keep positive to help my Grandson Riley in Scott’s memory.”

     

  • MP Steve Brine urged to extend HPV vaccines for boys up to 18-years-old

    MP Steve Brine urged to extend HPV vaccines for boys up to 18-years-old

    Health experts call on the government to offer ‘catch-up’ HPV vaccination to boys up to age 18 to protect them against fatal diseases

    16 leading experts in the field of HPV and the diseases it can cause have written to the public health minister Steve Brine MP urging him to offer HPV vaccination to boys aged up to 18 as a catch-up programme. This would run alongside the vaccination programme for 12/13 year old boys which the government intends to roll out from September 2019.

    The experts have also called on the minister to make a firm commitment to starting boys’ vaccination next year rather than just saying he intends to do so.

    The letter’s signatories include: Mick Armstrong, chair of the British Dental Association; Professor Michael Escudier, Dean of the Faculty of Dental Surgery at the Royal Collage of Surgeons; Hisham Mehanna, Professor of Head and Neck Surgery at the University of Birmingham; Ian Mills, Dean, Faculty of General Dental Practice (UK); Professor Chris Nutting, Consultant Clinical Oncologist at the Royal Marsden Hospital; and Dr Olwen Williams, President of the British Association for Sexual Health and HIV.

    Ministers have so far rejected the case for a catch-up programme for boys on the grounds that boys are partly protected by the vaccination of girls. The experts point out, however, that the government’s own vaccination advisory committee (JCVI) recommended HPV vaccination for boys precisely because vaccinating girls offers boys inadequate protection. Moreover, men who have sex with men are completely unprotected by the girls’ programme. The experts also state that when the girls’ programme was introduced in 2008, they benefited from a catch-up programme and boys should be entitled to the same on the grounds of fairness.

    The announcement of the decision to vaccinate boys was long overdue. It was originally promised in 2015 but took three more years to become policy. In that time, around one million boys missed out on HPV vaccination and they are therefore at risk. The experts argue that the opportunity must be seized to vaccinate as many boys as possible while they are still at school and therefore easier to reach.

    Commenting on the letter, HPV Action’s Campaign Director Peter Baker said: ‘The government must not ignore the views of 16 leading experts in the HPV field. It must reconsider its short-sighted decision not to offer boys a catch-up programme and it must also make an unequivocal commitment to start vaccinating boys from next September. Boys can no longer be left at risk of developing potentially fatal cancers and other diseases caused by HPV.’

  • Fringe! Queer Film and Arts Fest begins!

    Fringe! Queer Film and Arts Fest begins!

    Fringe! returns for its eighth year with a diverse, provocative and outrightly political programme of film screenings alongside workshops, panels and parties, transforming venues across East London over six days.

    Founded in 2011 as a community-led response to cuts to arts funding and the detrimental impact on LGBT+ art and cultural production, the festival is committed to celebrating the best in queer filmmaking, from the DIY to the high budget. Fringe! remains entirely volunteer-run and not-for-profit, whilst having become a landmark cultural event in London’s queer calendar.

    Highlights:

    Fringe! 2018 opens with powerful and effervescent documentary When the Beat Drops, which charts the development of ‘bucking’, an energetic and competitive form of dance, through the ambitions of a group of black gay men in Atlanta.

    In what can sometimes feel like dark political times, Fringe! burns bright with a focus on activism in film. Criminal Queers is an astute comedy, taking aim at the prison industrial complex in the USA with a tongue in cheek charm, complete with cameos from prison activists Angela Davis and CeCe McDonald. In Obscuro Barroco, we meet an icon of Brazil’s queer subculture, Luana Muniz, who guides us through a contrasting world of protest and beauty.

    A decidedly literary theme runs throughout this year’s programme. Closing night film Wild Nights with Emily offers a comic reimagining of Emily Dickinson’s rumoured sapphic encounters, with Molly Shannon playing the famously reclusive poet and cameos from the likes of Genevieve Turner. The UK Premiere of The Rest I Make Up revisits the life of Maria Irene Fornes, arguably one of the most influential and yet least known playwrights of the 20th century as well as being Susan Sontag’s lover.

    In a new partnership, Fringe! has worked with Hackney based LGBT+ youth support group, Project Indigo, to curate a free shorts programme which will be screened at festival hub, Hackney House. Over the course of four months, a group of 13 to 25-year-olds worked collaboratively with Fringe! to create a selection of eleven shorts from over 400 submissions.

    Other highlights include a screening of 1978’s The Wiz which takes the festival’s regular late-night singalong slot celebrating campy classics from the cinematic past. This often overlooked cult gem is at turns mesmerising and downright strange, offering a magical urban reimagining of the 1900 children’s novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. With a notably entirely African-American cast, The Wiz stars Diana Ross, Michael Jackson and Richard Pryor among others, and is screened in partnership with BlackOut UK .

    As ever, Fringe! boasts a broad array of free events from zinemaking workshops to performance nights, live podcasts (including from female-focused film podcast Broad Appeal ) and queer pottery! All this in addition to eleven free short-film programmes ranging from the experimental to the sexy, and more! 

    For more information and schedule, please click here;
  • RESTAURANT REVIEW | Tom, Dick and Harry’s, Loughton

    RESTAURANT REVIEW | Tom, Dick and Harry’s, Loughton

    ★★★★ | Tom, Dick & Harry’s, Loughton

    Tom, Dick & Harry’s are not people you work with, or people you went to school with or who met at the local pub last year. Tom, Dick & Harry’s are actually the names of the three escape tunnels in The Great Escape. It’s also the name of a restaurant and bar located in Loughton.

    With perhaps the nicest staff this side of Mile End, Tom, Dick & Harry’s (TD&H) is perhaps the place to be, and be seen, in and around the Loughton area. Just a few minutes walk from the Central Line, it’s also perfect for those who want to get out of London to try a new dining experience in an area where you’ve not yet been to. Granted, there is not a whole lot to do in Loughton, but visiting TD&H is definitely worth a visit.

    A beautifully designed restaurant, intimate and cosy while at the same time with a metropolitan feel, TD&H offers an all-day destination dining experience. And the food is cooked and prepared by real professionals, people with a passion for food, and served by people who have a passion for their customers, who want their customers to enjoy their experience.

    On the Sunday when we paid a visit, we were told by the chef that the menu changes daily, depending on what they can source from the local butcher or whatever is freshest and available each day. We were lucky to have on the menu the Sunday Roast club menu – for this is what my friend ordered. Roast Rump of beef (Angus crossbreed) was served with, of course, a Yorkshire pudding, horseradish, gravy, with the three C’s (cabbage, carrots and cauliflower), with huge potatoes – and it was a nice size portion. My friend absolutely loved it. While he enjoyed the meat dish, I had fish, which I hardly ever order – The Grilled Tuna Steak was very good. Perfectly cooked and sized, with spring onions, almonds, and greens – the Tuna was delectable, but it was the unusual, and extremely delicious tomato and pepper paste that won my taste buds over – wow! The entire dish was a perfect combination of everything, and with my side order of large potatoes, it was a perfect meal.

    The starters, or as TD&H call them Nibbleinis, where there were quite a few choices, but we settled for three of them. My spicy chorizo, tomato and chickpea stew, was, as expected, good, but not very hot. My friend had the Fried crisp Cornish squid with togarashi pepper with lime, and on the side was a strange looking small bowl of squid ink in mayo (and sesame, lime and fish sauce), which was an average portion. Warning, the squid ink isn’t to everyone’s liking! We also sampled the nice Burrata (glob of cheese), salsa verde, with pine nuts, it was a bit heavy, but the pine nuts made it stand out. All the above were high priced at £8 each. TD&H also cater to larger parties where the price of carvery will vary according to size.

    The dessert selection was all about creams, chocolates, and dairy dairy dairy. I had the Vanilla cream pears and blackberries dish, but the cream was too much – I wish there had been more berries and pears.  However, the dark chocolate mousse, candied peanuts, with ice cream was very tasty. Both desserts were £7 each.

    Have a read through their Signature cocktails menu. Specifically designed for the restaurant by its manager and drink connoisseur Gabriele, he has assigned names to various drinks. We had the Tom Hardy – “I liked you better when you were drunk” – which almost perfectly matched the actor’s personality. It was unexpectedly sweet what with vodka, grapefruit lemon, basil and brown sugar – muddled & stirred (£12). The Sex Bomb (Tom Jones) was just superb, with honey, honey cognac, lemon, and champagne, served in a wine glass (£14) – refreshing and went just right with the meal.

    Wine must be taken with the meal, and TD&H have an amazing, but not quite overwhelming, wine list which includes whites, reds, champagnes and an amazing selection of Roses – wine that goes practically with every meal.

    The early Sunday evening we were there the restaurant remained jam-packed, with a lively piano player off to the side playing very nice mellow tunes.

    Everyone at every table looked happy – probably because the food and ambience were so good (even the man celebrating his 50th birthday party in the back looked happy!). But also credit to the staff, they were very attentive, took their time, were patient when asked questions, were always smiling, and were even concerned when the table next to us left more than half their food on their plate. It’s the kind of service that’s hard to find in other restaurants. Perhaps being in Loughton the staff are not as rushed and cold as most staff in restaurants in London are? Who knows. But TD&H may not particularly attract a London crowd, but it’s perfect and just right for the people of Loughton and it’s surrounding areas.

    https://tomdickandharrys.co.uk
    Open Saturday from 10:00 to 00:30
    Open Sunday from 12:00 to 22:00
    Book online or call 0203 327 3333 for reservations
    153 High Road
    Loughton
    IG10 4LF
    T. 0203 327 3333

  • Theatre Review | The Messiah – National Tour and West End

    ★★☆☆☆ | The Messiah

    The Messiah unfolds as a travelling theatre troupe of two actors and an opera singer arrive by camel to masterfully enact the Nativity, albeit through personal breakdowns, misguided scenes and direct address to the audience in this comedic three-hander.

    Hugh Dennis (TV’s Outnumbered and Mock The Week) effectively plays Maurice Rose, the kind of guy you wouldn’t want to sit next to on a long train journey, and who is the relatively straight man to John Marquez’s innocently naive fall guy, Ronald Bream. The humour is subtle, if repetitive at times, centring mainly on the deadpan delivery of the multiple characters and the mispronunciation of words and phrases, with a few trips and blunders thrown in as the characters struggle to get through the play.

    The quality of the production overall is more than functional, with a versatile set, a decent lighting design and two fine central performances from the male leads.

    But where the show itself stumbles is in its portrayal of a deliberately bad performance by the amateur company, which is so convincing, it actually just feels like watching a badly acted play. Furthermore, an underused Lesley Garrett looked slightly uncomfortable and out of her depth at times as the demanding diva; although to be fair to her, she did so with her tongue planted firmly in her cheek.

    Sadly short on laughs, the handful of jokes stretch thinly over the show’s running time and even some forced audience participation can’t conjure up enough Christmas sparkle to elevate the show to a “must see”.

    The Messiah is currently on Tour at Sheffield Theatres, before heading to Chichester, Cheltenham and Richmond; and arriving at The Other Palace in the West End on 3rd December for Christmas.

  • RESTAURANT REVIEW | Old Compton Brasserie, Soho, London

    RESTAURANT REVIEW | Old Compton Brasserie, Soho, London

    ★★★★★ | Old Compton Brasserie, Soho, London

    Old Compton Brasserie, in Soho, is in a space that’s been a bit of bad luck for previous tenants. Leon, the healthy food chain, lasted only a couple of years. Next it was Muriel’s Kitchen, which was a light and lively mama’s style restaurant with comfort food – but at high prices, perhaps this is why it didn’t last. But Old Compton Brasserie will more than succeed. Why? Because it’s fabulous!

    Old Compton Street is one of the few streets in London that is constantly busy. With its plethora of bars, restaurants, shops, and a few adult retail businesses, it’s never been a place where it’s hard to find somewhere to eat.
    Old Compton Brasserie is the new kid in town, sandwiched between two Balan’s Restaurants, and right next door to Cafe Nero, where the same people linger every single night for want of nowhere else to go. Old Comptons Brasserie is the place to go, designed to a high standard, and the minute you walk in you will feel, see, and hear the excellent vibe that emits, not just from the front bar, but also from the back where people are happily eating and socializing in an environment that is cool, hip and fun.
    But, you might ask, how is the food? It’s actually fantastic! From the starters to the mains and the desserts, everything was almost perfect the night me and a friend went. It was at 8:00 pm on a Thursday night and the place was jam-packed! Every table was taken, and every customer in the place was happy happy happy. And after eating the food, we understood why.
    The Kedgeree Scotch Eggs were just to die for. It was a Scotch egg in a beautifully-breaded crust (with peas mixed in) where every bite was just delicious (and at only £5.50 – an excellent deal). This dish was recommended to us by the lovely Samantha our waitress and she was right on – we loved it. The Tempura Prawn Taco was also very good, and it was served on top of a tortilla and included shreds of carrots, celery, onion with vinegar and mayonnaise slathered over, and for £8.50 it’s a big starter. My main was the Pressed Pork Belly – a perfectly cooked long strip of pork served over colcannon mash, with a dollop of applesauce on the side. The pork was – cooked medium well, along with the mash – was on top of a sea of gravy, and every bite was delectable – it was just superb – and at a superb price of £14.00. Fabulous! My friend decided to have the Steak Frites – by far the most expensive dish on the menu (£28). We tried to figure out why it was so expensive. Could it be because the quality of the 10-ounce steak was brilliant? Or because of the huge amount of chunky chips (not frites) or the delicious bearnaise sauce? Who knows why it cost so much but my friend enjoyed every bite! We also ordered sides which were really not necessary but it was more so that we could taste more items on the menu (surely you don’t blame us)! The Roasted Field Mushrooms and the Heritage Tomato Salad were both just about perfect – with the mushrooms perfectly cooked, and the salad topped with onions and chives in a delectable creamy dressing.
    How could Old Compton Brasserie get any better? Well, the desserts we ordered were delectable and delicious. My five star Strawberry Trifle was a winner – a massive glass dish with strawberries, crushed nuts, toasted walnuts and of course the trifle layered beautifully inside – it was divine. My friend had the Lemon Posset – a pudding-esque lemon dish that he enjoyed, but it was my trifle that was the winner.
    Old Compton Brasserie cleverly offers a ‘Faces of Soho’ cocktail menu where cocktails are named after people who were/are known to be ‘denizens of Soho’. Paul Raymond, Soho Pam, Francis Bacon and Ronnie Scott, among others, have drinks named after them. My friend had the Ruby Venezuela – which was berry vodka, rhubarb & apple Juice, rhubarb tea and prosecco Le Dolci Colline, with a swig of candy floss attached to the side. It was quite subtle, unlike the drag queen, it’s named after. There is also the Regina Fong, which is served in a disco ball – one that I will have to try on my next visit. Most of these drinks are £10 and under. I had an espresso martini. At £10, the glass was a bit small, but it was refreshing and perfect.
    The establishment recommends wine with the main courses, and ours, selected by the wine waiter, went very well with our meals. The Red Le Petit Syrah (from Spain) was light and woody, while the Pinor Noir went well with the steak.
    Old Compton Brasserie has food for everyone, from plant-based mains to fish and seafood to hamburgers and sandwiches and salads – all at very affordable prices, with a wine list that any restaurant in Soho would envy.
    When we finished our meal after 10:30 pm, the place was still rocking and very buzzy, with more people coming in (the after-theatre crowd). It looks like Old Compton Brasserie is here to stay –  an excellent restaurant that’s in a perfect spot for a perfect night out. 
    34-36 Old Compton Street, Soho, London, W1D 4TT  
    Tel: 020 7434 2214 
     
    Monday: 12pm – 11.30pm
    Tuesday: 12pm – 11.30pm
    Wednesday: 12pm – 11.30pm
    Thursday: 12pm – 1am
    Friday: 12pm – 1am
    Saturday: 10am – 1am
    Sunday: 10am – 11.30pm
     
    Email: bookings@oldcomptonbrasserie.co.uk
  • Could Alan Turing be the face for the new £50 note?

    Could Alan Turing be the face for the new £50 note?

    There are calls to make Alan Turing the face of the new £50 to serve as a “painful reminder of what we lost.”

    Alan Turing
    Public Domaain

    The Bank of England has invited members of the public to vote on which figure should appear on the new £50 note.

    Former Manchester MP John Leech led a nearly decade-long campaign to pardon Alan Turing, gaining immense public support from legendary physicists such as Stephen Hawking.

    During the campaign, Mr Leech submitted several bills to Parliament saying it was “utterly disgusting and ultimately just embarrassing” that the conviction was upheld as long as it was, and celebrated the posthumous pardon.

    He then turned to acquiring pardons for the 75,000 other men convicted of the same outdated crime.

    At the UK premiere of a film based on Turing’s life, The Imitation Game, the producers thanked Mr Leech for bringing the topic to public attention and securing Turing’s pardon.

    Supporting Turing for the new £50 note John Leech said, “It is almost impossible to put into words the difference that Alan Turing made to society, but perhaps the most poignant example is that his work is estimated to have shortened the war by four years and saved 21 million lives.

    “And yet way he was treated afterwards remains a national embarrassment and an example of society at its absolute worst.

    “Placing Turing on the £50 note would at least go some way to acknowledging his unprecedented contribution to society and science.

    “But more importantly it will serve as a stark and frankly painful reminder of what we lost in Turing and what we will lose again if we ever allow that kind of hateful ideology to win.”

  • THEATRE REVIEW | The Lovely Bones – The Birmingham Rep

    ★★★★☆ | The Lovely Bones

    – a chilling and sombre affair

    A lot of people celebrated Halloween dressed up in fancy and harrowing costumes while others chose to visit The Birmingham Rep to watch The Lovely Bones adapted by Bryony Lavery.

    This production was a visual marvel with versatile, complex sets and effects that made you jump. It was 1 hour and 45 minutes long without an interval, so you were drawn to the story and scarcely had a chance to breathe.

    Based on the novel by Alice Seabold, it depicted well the account by Susie Salmon as a ghost, and the frustration of the book though the intensity of the book was way more gripping. Adapting a novel with nail-biting tension and translate it to the stage was always going to be a big ask. This play, however, did a great job with multi scenes going on at once which helped cancel out really drawn out scenes which can happen when an adaptation is too literal.

    Charlotte Beaumont played Susie and she was very believable. Her growing anger and annoyance were superbly achieved. Mr Harvey played by Keith Dunphy was exactly how you would imagine him to be in the book, said my friend. His voice and slow movement made for a very sinister character – the audience felt on edge whenever he appeared on stage as he was getting away with murder, literally. Jack Salmon played by Jack Sandle was very captivating with his passionate and energetic portrayal. Karan Gill was a dexterous multi-part player and was brilliant at playing Holiday, having the whole auditorium in stitches with embodying typical characteristics of a dog. Abigail Salmon player by Emily Bevan performed her last speech with emotion and sincerity, but there was some inconsistency with emotion when finding out about her daughter, or it was perhaps the very fast changes of time that did not allow for Abigail’s grief to be fully explored. Pete Ashmore played Detective Fenerman, and he was brilliant in this role really adding to the frustration of the unsolved murder. As a teenager, it was not as convincing, for his voice was too mature. I struggled to imagine him as Lindsey Salmon’s boyfriend. Susan Bovell brought out the comedy in this dark story with her bad-mother act and stirring issues within the family. Her portrayal of Lynn was a great fete.

    The set, designed by Ana Inés Jabares-Pita, really was the highlight for me with chalk becoming luminescent and the ingenious mirror effect, so it looked as though Susie was looking down from heaven as the scenes unfolded.

    Running: 30 October – 10 November 2018

  • Looking for ways to save money before Christmas?

    Looking for ways to save money before Christmas?

    Cooking in bulk, going teetotal and sending e-cards instead of traditional ones are among the ways savvy Brits are saving money ahead of Christmas, it has emerged.

    rawpixel / Pixabay

    Researchers who polled 2,000 UK adults found 31 per cent are worried they won’t have enough funds to last through the festive period.

    As a result, eight in 10 will use money saving tactics ahead of the big day – including buying frozen, using online vouchers and buying gifts in advance.

    Other methods include making gifts at home and shopping at charity shops.

    And it appears to pay off, with the typical Brit estimating they’ll save £217.94 over Christmas by being clever with their cash.

    Signing up to loyalty schemes, selling clothes online and flogging goods at car boot sales are among the methods used by those polled to boost their income ahead of 25 December.

    The research was commissioned by Iceland to celebrate its Bonus Card which has a ‘load and save’ function to help shoppers save for Christmas throughout the year.

    The survey also found 28 per cent of Brits are better prepared financially for Christmas – partially due to making their money go further.

    But despite having a limited budget, six in 10 admitted they tend to overspend during the festive period.

    And 80 per cent of those tend to go overboard and fork out ‘too much’ on presents.

    TerriC / Pixabay

    Half said they get carried away when it comes to food, a third overspend on drinks and one in ten do the same on decorations.

    The research also found 38 per cent love coming up with inventive ways to save money over the festive period.

    And perhaps they are motivated by disappointing Christmases in the past – 28 per cent said a lack of funds has ‘ruined’ Yuletide for them.

    As a result, a quarter will attempt to even up their spending by selling old items to make some extra cash.

    In previous years one in 10 have even taken a second job – just to cover the cost of the festive period.

    geralt / Pixabay

    The Iceland research carried out through OnePoll, also found 33 per cent have bought presents in the January sales in order to make the next Christmas a little cheaper.

    Neil Hayes of Iceland, said: “Christmas can be an expensive time of year, with families finding themselves financially stretched.

    “With so many people planning Christmas spending earlier and earlier, we’re proud we can support our shoppers in this way.”

    • Iceland bonus card holders can receive £2 for every £20 saved from 29 October until 18 November, to help with Christmas spending (usual saving £1 per £20).

    TOP 30 – MONEY SAVING METHODS USED BY BRITS AHEAD OF CHRISTMAS:

    1. Shop about online
    2. Use sites such as Amazon and eBay
    3. Use bonus or loyalty cards
    4. Buy presents months in advance
    5. Use online voucher codes
    6. Bring your own shopping bags to the supermarket
    7. Shop on black Friday
    8. Stock up on BOGOF offers
    9. Stock the freezer
    10. Find discounts at outlet stores
    11. Agree with my partner not to buy gifts for one another
    12. Avoid putting the heating on (use more duvets and blankets)
    13. Buy frozen food
    14. Switch to a cheaper supermarket
    15. Sell your items
    16. Buy from charity shops
    17. Avoid buying branded items
    18. Set up a savings account
    19. Make your own gifts
    20. Set a secret Santa limit of £5
    21. Cooking in bulk
    22. Make your own decorations
    23. Eat chicken instead of turkey
    24. Book train, bus and plane tickets early
    25. Send online cards instead of letters
    26. Chat to family and friends for free on Skype or WhatsApp
    27. Get a second job
    28. Quit drinking in November
    29. Going on a diet
    30. Break open the piggy bank

    WORDS: Rob Bailey

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Company, Gielgud Theatre, London

    ★★★★☆ | Company

    The stage legend that is Patti Lupone is gracing London’s West End with her presence in a new revival of Stephen Sondheim‘s Company.

    Lupone is not just a star, she is a STAR, having played Evita in the first New York City production in 1979 (Elaine Paige was the first Evita in London’s West End in 1978).

    In Company, Lupone is not actually the star and lead of the show, but every time she is on stage the audience seems to gasp and hold their breath.

    But Company is not at all about her character (an older wiser woman who doles out advice), it’s about Bonnie (played by Rosalie Craig, recently seen in the mega-critically acclaimed The Ferryman), who seems to live in a world full of couples (and of course in this modern society one of the couples is gay). All of her friends are in a relationship, but it’s her, who at her surprise birthday party (which is not really a surprise as someone tells her about it) at the tender age of 35), that she realises that she is single and alone in a couples world.

    Originally a musical about a single man (Robert), showcasing a single strong professional woman is just the message that is needed right now in this #metoo time.

    While Bonnie trots along, there are clever sets (by Bunny Christie) that float in and out of the stage like picture frames. And a scene-stealing moment takes place when, right before his gay wedding, Jamie (a superb Jonathan Bailey – give him his own show NOW), starts to hyperventilate and talk 100 miles a minute as to whether he will go through his wedding – it’s a brilliant turn.

    But the show stealer is none other than Patti Lupone; when she sings the classic ‘The Ladies Who Lunch’ you just want to lick your lips and savour each second. Sitting on a cocktail chair, she sings absolutely delicious, and when she says “I’ll drink to that,” you just want to melt. For me, her song is the most memorable part of the show, and it is an absolute gem.

    Marianne Elliott’s production of this 1970 show is as modern and up to date as possible, but please, more more more Lupone next. Here’s to the lady who steals the show!

    Company plays at the Gielgud Theatre until March 2019, Book tickets now (with no fees)