THEGAYUK

Tag: UK

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Witness for the Prosecution, County Hall, London

    ★★★★★ | Witness for the Prosecution, County Hall, London

    REVIEW | Witness for the Prosecution

    Depending on your age and/or love of black and white films, you may know Witness for the Prosecution from the classic 1957 film with Charles Laughton and the divine Marlene Dietrich. No? Maybe you saw the recent BBC adaptation with Kim Cattrall as the murder victim, wealthy Emily French? No? Well, either way, you’re in for a treat. Even if you already know the deliciously cunning twists in this courtroom drama, you’re going to be knocked for six by the production.

    1950’s London and personable working class chap Leonard Vole is up before the courts, accused of bludgeoning to death a lonely (and rich) older woman in her St John’s Wood home. Things aren’t looking good for Leonard, especially as she’d just changed her will in his favour, and the gallows are looming. His only alibi is from his glamorous and frosty Teutonic wife, Romaine but will she vouch for him in court and help his cause or are things about to take a more complicated turn?

    Agatha Christie’s dramas are often wrongly seen as somewhat twee and cosy; the stuff of Sunday afternoons with a nice cup of tea. Here, you get to see Christie’s dark mind in all its sinister glory in a blood-splattered tale that is horrifying at times. OK so there’s the usual parade of thinly sketched and clichéd characters but that’s part of Christie’s charm too.

    One of the big draws of this production is the staging. Set in a courtroom, here we see it staged as authentically as is possible as we’re in…yes…a courtroom. Well, almost. It’s a debating chamber inside the sumptuous, disused, Art Deco County Hall (at the back of the London Eye, behind the aquarium) and it’s convincing. You could almost be in the public gallery watching the drama unfold. It’s high drama and more than a tad camp as there’s a soundscape of echoing footsteps, clanging doors and assorted gasps. It’s a thrill ride of chilling and thrilling twisty-turning fun.

    Forget The Mousetrap, Leave that for the West End tourists and head down to Westminster for a rare treat.

    Witness for the Prosecution plays at County Hall until 11th of March 2018

  • Five must see LGBT theatre you have to see this winter in London

    The nights are drawing in and the temperatures are getting cooler. That’s no excuse to stay in watching yet another reality TV show, though. 2017 has been a bumper year for theatrical smashes in the capital and it’s set to continue for the remainder of the year and into the New Year. Grab your mac, don your scarf and get yourself down there.

    Here’s the Top 5 must-see LGBT London shows for Autumn/Winter 2017/18:

    Everybody’s Talking About Jamie: The glorious posters are everywhere on the tube: Jamie’s upturned faced, painted lips and his artfully made up glittery eyes. Fresh from a highly acclaimed and multi-award-winning run in Sheffield, Jamie is about to enter the capital’s Apollo Theatre with previews from the 6th of November and booking till April 2018. This feel-good musical has a good pedigree. It’s based on a BBC documentary about the trials and tribulations of a wannabe teenage drag queen growing up on a rough estate  There’s new music by The Feeling’s Dan Gillespie-Sells and Tom McRae. We loved it so much we gave it a resounding 5-star endorsement. What more do you need to know? Book now.

    The York Realist: Turns out that Sheffield is at it again. Not only have they sent us some damn fine cutlery and The Human League but now we get another LGBT play. Set in 1960s Yorkshire, this is a touching tale of a farmhand straining against his roots. Directed by Robert Hastie (My Night with Reg), this promises to be a drama worth fighting for tickets for. This runs from February 2018 but don’t wait till the New Year to book. You need to act fast as tickets are almost sold out. 

    Matthew Bourne’s Cinderella: Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without a trip to see a Matthew Bourne ballet at Sadler’s Wells. Cinderella is one of his campest and also one of my favourites of all his ballets and it makes a welcome return to the capital. Dashing airmen, a wicked stepmother based on Joan Crawford at her meanest and some Blitz glamour in the bombed out Café de Paris? Hell, there’s even a scene with dancing hookers and rent boys. What are you waiting for? It runs from 9th of December to January 2018.

    Strangers in Between: After two runs at the ultra LGBT + friendly theatre, The King’s Head, ‘Strangers in Between’ returns to the stage and this time in the West End at Trafalgar Studios 2. Tommy Murphy’s play is about something lots of us can identify with, being a small town boy and moving to the terrifying big city. We liked this a lot when it last ran. Don’t just take our word for it. It hits the stage again from the 10th of January to the 3rd Feb 2018

    Above the Stag: You may or may not have been to this gay-themed theatre venue in Vauxhall. OK, so it’s in a railway tunnel (although they’re planning a move) and some of the shows are hit and miss but it’s worth chancing it for one of the hits. They also have a very saucy annual pantomime and you can top off the evening experiencing the joys of the area (and I don’t mean Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens). Visit them now.

  • Labour suspends MP after homophobic comments

    The Labour party has suspended Jared O’Mara, pending an investigation over alleged homophobic and misogynistic comments.

    Labour suspends MP after homophobic comments

    Following on from revelations over MP Jared O’Mara’s forum messages posted over a decade ago, which were misogynistic and homophobic, the Labour party have taken action to suspend the newly elected MP for Sheffield Hallam.

    The MP unseated the former Lib Dem leader, Nick Clegg in this year’s general election.

    Mr O’Hara had issued an apology over his misogyny but failed to mention anything about his homophobia which included a message sent from an account which was allegedly his, in which he said he’d thought it would be funny if jazz singer Jamie Cullum was “sodomised” to death with his own piano.

    The minister had been serving on the Women’s and Equality committee but he resigned shortly after the messages surfaced.

    Speaking to BBC News the shadow chancellor John McDonnell said,  “There will be a full investigation by the Labour Party and then, as a result of that, a final decision will be made about his future.

    “New information has come to light, so quite rightly the Labour Party has acted swiftly. He’s been suspended, the whip has been withdrawn.”

    Transphobia

    Following on from the forum messages,  a former partner of the O’Mara, Sophie Evans, 25,  alleged he was abusive and transphobic. They dated seven months ago.

    Ms Evan alleges that O’Mara used sexist language and “transphobic slurs”

    Speaking to Daily Politics she said,

    “There were some transphobic slurs in there . . . he called me an ugly b*tch,”

    “I just thought ‘Wow, he’s not a very nice man’ and just forgot about it.

    “He never apologised to me or my friends that were involved. He has called us liars in the press, he has been on radio and called us liars.

    “I just find it very, very hard to believe that he has changed.”

    Mr O’Mara “categorically denies”the allegations.

  • COMMENT | The NHS is wrong to ask patient’s their sexuality

    Doctors have been ordered to ask patients if they are gay. This is one of the most ludicrous decisions I feel the NHS has ever decided to make.

    What is the point of GP’s having to record every patient’s sexuality? I really fail to see the point of this new rule and to me, I fear it’s building up to the UK becoming a nanny state.

    It’s being called intrusive and Orwellian by many people. I agree. I’m very lucky, I’m an open gay man who is widely accepted by family, colleagues and friends. But what about those in denial about their sexuality? Or those who simply don’t feel comfortable in coming out yet? I’m scared it may actually do more harm than good.

    I have deep fears about the security of the data, as any leak could potentially ‘out’ thousands of patients.

    Many visits to the GP are for everyday ailments, like tonsillitis, chest infections, aches and pains etc. So how is a doctor questioning their patient’s sexuality going to aid them in making a diagnosis and prescribing treatment? Quite frankly, none whatsoever. I’m no medical expert, but I’m sure antibiotics are the same for a straight person, a gay man or a bisexual woman.

    Unless it’s related to your health, I believe that your sexuality is not the NHS’s business. The precious eight minutes you get with a GP is short enough, without taking up the time to ask unnecessary questions. You want medical advice from a doctor. Not your sexual preference being interrogated.

    So, from 2019, every patient over the age of 16 will be asked to state their sexuality. Is it really relevant to ask an 80-year-old grandfather if they’ve ever had a relationship with a man?

    I think this ludicrous, intrusive and damn right ridiculous question should be scrapped before it even begins. Doctors and the NHS are stretched enough as it is, without adding sexuality checks to their workload. Let them stick to what they do best. Medically treating and diagnosing patients. And this is something they do exceptionally well, without knowing a patient’s sexual orientation.

     

    Opinions expressed in this article may not reflect those of THEGAYUK, its management or editorial teams. If you’d like to comment or write a comment, opinion or blog piece, please click here.

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Cabaret – Leeds Grand Theatre and National Tour

    ★★★★ | On New Year’s Eve in 1938, American writer Clifford Bradshaw arrives in Berlin, and finds his way to the Kit Kat Club, a burlesque club hosted by the enigmatic Emcee, where the fluidity of sexuality, gender and sexual expression flow as freely as the gin. There he meets Sally Bowles, an excitable, if naïve, English woman, who performs at the club; and the two of them embark on an affair. But as the Nazi party rises to power, their friends both at the club and within the community find that their lifestyle places them all at risk as the nation starts to divide.

    THEATRE REVIEW | Cabaret - Leeds Grand Theatre and National Tour

    Starring Will Young and Louise Redknapp, this classic musical written by Kander and Ebb, needs very little introduction. Including the songs “Money Makes The World Go Around”, “Maybe This Time”, “Tomorrow Belongs To Me” and “Cabaret”, the show contrasts the bright lights of the carefree club with a story which has a surprisingly dark streak to it.

    The first act is awash with exuberant musical numbers, performed in a classic burlesque style; with the stage glowing in gold and orange lighting, and with an abundance of scantily clad and ridiculously attractive dancers, showing off a plethora of muscular pecs, torsos and biceps. The indulgence and pleasure of the Kit Kat Club then yields in the second act to a darker and more emotional story as the rise of fascism takes hold, impacting on the free-living community of the club.

    Will Young excels in his portrayal of Emcee; making his performance seem effortless and natural and injecting the role with just the right balance of humour, ambiguity and campness to be charismatic and alluring. His performance of the shows musical numbers is excellent, especially in opening the show with “Wilkomen” and in a haunting rendition of “I Don’t Care Much”. Louise Redknapp has her moments as Sally Bowles, and to her credit can belt out the show’s tunes, but her acting ability does not shine through and any stage presence that she may have gets lost amongst the charismatic cast; whereas Charles Hagerty provides solid and tuneful support in the role of Clifford Bradshaw

    The show is well staged, with a beautiful cast, thoughtful and interesting choreography and an impressive lighting design. The set is relatively stripped back giving the whole production a feel which is not too dissimilar to Kander and Ebb’s other musical, Chicago. It is beautiful to look at and Rufus Norris’ direction keeps the show moving along nicely.

    The revival of this production is timely, to say the least. With the recent resurgence in far-right political parties, the treatment of the gay community in Chechnya and with homophobic hate crimes reported to be on the rise, the show maintains a strong message about the impact of passivity and naivety to these issues on the gay community; a message which continues to resonate with audiences many years after the show was first performed.

    Cabaret is currently playing at Leeds Grand Theatre until Saturday 28th October 2017, before continuing on its national tour, calling at Milton Keynes, Manchester, Edinburgh, Bromely, Dublin and Brighton. Visit the tour’s website for details and tickets.

  • MP Jared O’Mara quits equality role amidst homophobic and misogynist row

    Disgraced Labour MP, Jared O’Mara has resigned his post on the women’s and equality committee following the revelations of anti-gay and misogynist comments made on forums back in the early 2000s.

    The MP, who unseated Nick Clegg in the last General Election, is said to have used numerous anti-gay slurs on the Morrissey Solo website forum and Drowned In Sound. Terms such as “fudge packers” and driving “up the Marmite motorway” to describe gay people were used and a message was written that said gay people were “bitter and resentful about being homosexual”.

    Some of the messages date back to 2002.

    A message, which apparently used his email address was published which expressed a wish for jazz singer Jamie Cullum to be “sodomised” to death, the message read, “It would be no great loss to the music world if he was sodomised with his own piano and subsequently died of a sore arse. In fact, it would be quite funny.”

    Taking to Twitter, O’Mara issued an apology, saying he was “ashamed” of the comments that he made online and said that he was wrong to make them. He also apologised for the unacceptable language. However, he only apologised for the comments made about women and not the homophobic comments.

    His statement in full:

    “I am deeply ashamed of the comments I made online, which have emerged today. I was wrong to make them; I understand why they are offensive and sincerely apologise for my use of such unacceptable language. I made the comments as a young man, at a particularly difficult time in my life, but that is no excuse. Misogyny is a deep problem in our society. Since making those comments 15 years ago, I have learned about inequalities of power and how violent language perpetuates them. I continue to strive to be a better man and work where I can to confront misogyny, which is why I’m so proud to sit on the Women and Equalities Select Committee. I will continue to engage with, and crucially learn from, feminist and other equalities groups so as an MP I can do whatever I can to tackle misogyny.”

     


    THEGAYUK.com reached out to O’Mara for clarification on his homophobic messages.

  • Vile homophobia from newbie Labour MP Jared O’Mara

    Forum messages allegedly made by the new Labour MP for Sheffield Hallam, Jarod O’Mara have surfaced.

    An MP who sits on the Women’s and Equality Committee has had past homophobic and sexist forum comments allegedly written by him over a decade ago, unearthed by the political website, Guido Fawkes. 

    The MP, who unseated Nick Clegg in the last General Election, is said to have used numerous anti-gay slurs on the Morrissey Solo website forum and Drowned In Sound. Terms such as “fudge packers” and driving “up the marmite motorway” to describe gay people were used and a message was written that said gay people were “bitter and resentful about being homosexual”.

    Some of the messages date back to 2002.

    A message, which apparently used his email address was published which expressed a wish for jazz singer Jamie Cullum to be “sodomised” to death, the message read, “It would be no great loss to the music world if he was sodomised with his own piano and subsequently died of a sore arse. In fact, it would be quite funny.”

    In other messages Guido Fawkes reveals that published messages included:

    “Just cos he writes about gayness and gay issues, doesn’t mean he drives up the Marmite motorway, or for that matter, allows someone else to drive up his…

    “You do mean ‘took it up the ass’ figuratively don’t you?… I just think that this story is much more poignantly romantic than fudge packing Jake or anyone else in a casual manner and I don’t want such a lovely vista to be spoilt.

    “I find it funny how some homosexuals think they have the monopoly on being subject to abuse, they should try being Ginger…”

    “To those of you that are bitter and resentful about being homosexual, maybe you need to take a bit of pride in your gayness, it’s not something to be ashamed of.”

    The account that O’Mara used the same email address he used on another forum website Drowned In Sound.

    Taking to Twitter, O’Mara issued an apology, saying he was “ashamed” of the comments that he made online and said that he was wrong to make them. He also apologised for the unacceptable language. However, he only apologised for the comments made about women and not the homophobic comments.

    His statement in full:

    “I am deeply ashamed of the comments I made online, which have emerged today. I was wrong to make them; I understand why they are offensive and sincerely apologise for my use of such unacceptable language. I made the comments as a young man, at a particularly difficult time in my life, but that is no excuse. Misogyny is a deep problem in our society. Since making those comments 15 years ago, I have learned about inequalities of power and how violent language perpetuates them. I continue to strive to be a better man and work where I can to confront misogyny, which is why I’m so proud to sit on the Women and Equalities Select Committee. I will continue to engage with, and crucially learn from, feminist and other equalities groups so as an MP I can do whatever I can to tackle misogyny.”

     


    THEGAYUK.com reached out to O’Mara for clarification on his homophobic messages.

    MP Stephen Doughty, the co-chair of the LGBT PLP said,

    “The comments are obviously totally unacceptable. As one of the Co-Chairs of the LGBT PLP, I raised my deep concerns directly in person with Jared this after and have received a frank apology”.

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Of Kith And Kin, Bush Theatre, London

    ★★★ | Of Kith And Kin, Bush Theatre, London

    After a run in Sheffield Theatres’ studio, gay surrogacy themed comedy-drama Of Kith and Kin hits London at The Bush Theatre. Oliver and Daniel are 21st-century gays married with good jobs and a flat. Now it’s time to take the natural next step, start a family with Oliver’s best girl-friend acting as surrogate.

    Chris Thompson’s play is a three-act drama and is mixed in tone and effectiveness. Starting out as a light sitcom with a twist, it morphs into a courtroom drama and ends with a more emotionally intelligent third act. There’s something distinctly dated about the first act in spite of the modern update. There’s all the classic sit-com ingredients: happy couple, monstrous mother-in-law descending, waters about to break and high camp. The difference, of course, being that there are two fathers and one mother. The humour is tired at times and whilst it has wryly amusing moments it’s never uproariously funny. Joanna Bacon does a good job as the brash mum from Woolwich but it still feels limp. Speaking of limp: James Lance has some unfortunate mannerisms. He’s playing a 46-year-old gay man with a mischievous sense of camp but to me, he didn’t quite nail this and it felt like an unfortunate and unintentional misfire. His swishy hips and flapping wrists didn’t convince me and it felt like a straight man’s imperfect attempt at portraying a slightly effeminate gay man which was grating rather than being entirely offensive.

    Act two moves on to the courtroom and again misses the mark. The key ingredient to a courtroom drama is a sense of tension but this felt slack in spite of strong performances from Donna Berlin as an improbably wisecracking judge. Finally, the third act is a more moving piece of drama and the play feels like it finds its feet but still, there’s a lot of holes and moments where the characters’ motivations feel unconvincing.

    On the positive side: James Lance is a nuanced performer (in spite of his poorly pitched 1970s style interpretation of a gay man’s mannerisms). Equally strong in supporting his work are Joshua Silver and Chetna Pandya. There’s also an interesting and well-thought set of themes to the play. Thompson looks at intergenerational differences in the expectations of his character. Oliver at 46, was kicked out of home for being gay and has difficult family relationships, never expecting that monogamy, marriage and children would be on the horizon. Conversely, Daniel who is over a decade younger has every expectation that these things are part of his agenda and in spite of all this progress, Priya’s teenage son doesn’t seem to be having an easy time of ‘having it all’. The confrontations of the final act are genuinely moving and raise interesting questions.

    It’s good to see a thought-provoking drama with some strong performances and emotive scenes. Whilst not excellent it has merits and is worth a look at the refurbished and plush Bush Theatre.

    Of Kith and Kin plays at the Bush Theatre until 25th November 2017

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Albion, Almeida Theatre, London

    ★★★★★ |  Albion, Almeida Theatre

    Mike Bartlett is riding on a high at the moment after the success of the second season of woman-scorned drama ‘Dr Foster’. As well as the much acclaimed TV drama he’s also a versatile and witty playwright with a string of theatre hits including the stellar “King Charles II” (what Prince Charlie did next), “Game” (the privileged classes shoot chavs for fun) and the epic “Earthquakes in London” (I think you can work that one out for yourself).

    His new play Albion is a sprawling three-hour epic concerning a successful businesswoman who uproots and plonks herself and her family down in a rural idyll with a dream of restoring an historic garden. Audrey is a bit of an uber bitch on one level. Suffering from profound grief following the death of her son in armed combat, she’s prickly and caustic, riding roughshod over her wet second husband and her disaffected daughter. Not to mention her guilt ridden middle class angst about the help, her strained relationship with her lesbian novelist best friend as well as her less than sympathetic views towards the local villagers who soon come to despise her. She’s also a strangely sympathetic character and is painfully real. It’s a tight script with echoes of Chekov (think disaffected people knowingly lurching towards disaster). Watching this feels a bit like settling down with a long but enthralling novel. It’s more than just a story. There’s a heavy layer of allegory and Bartlett turns his razor sharp gaze on to the people of England and their conflicted feelings towards their country.

    It’s a cracking play with multiple layers and is both thought provoking and emotionally involving without being preachy or patronising. The cast are universally strong, none more so than the fantastic Victoria Hamilton who plays Audrey. She’s been all over the TV of late as the put upon neighbour in Doctor Foster, The Queen Mum in Netfilx’s The Crown and the double crossing spy in the BBC2’s The Game. She’s magnetic and more than strong enough to carry this strong central role of a difficult but ultimately likeable woman.

    The stage set is absorbing and convincing. A huge tree dominates a long garden which the audience sit around in a horseshoe shape and it’s hard not to be taken in and feel like you’re out in an English country garden watching the human wild life fight it out.

    This is a rare treat. Go and see it while you can.

    Albion plays at the Almeida Theatre  24th of November 2017

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Venus In Fur, Theatre Royal Haymarket

    ★★★ | Venus In Fur, Theatre Royal Haymarket

    THEATRE REVIEW | Venus In Fur, Theatre Royal Haymarket

    A playwright/director bemoans the lack of female acting talent after a long day auditioning for the female lead in his new play. In walks Vanda, a ditzy and frenetic actress who’s turned up late but is determined that she’s going to audition for the part whether he wants her to or not.

    David Ives 2010 play is a twisting sexual and gender power play and a play within a play. The piece that Vonda is auditioning for is based around the 1870 novella of almost the same name (add an ‘s’ to the ‘fur’) by Leopold Von Sacher-Masoch. The clue is in the name: masochism was named after Sacher-Masoch and his desire to serve and be punished. The two characters read from the play and the roles they play both in reality and fantasy are in a state of constant flux. Thomas is a man who once stated that working in theatre was a great way to get laid but Vanda is more than prepared to take him on.

    It’s a slight play in some ways and is uneven at times with occasional absurd moments Whilst it has timely themes with the current Weinstein scandal, it’s not exactly searing. That doesn’t really matter here, though. It’s an OK play and is an entertaining 90 minutes but there’s an odd phenomena going on. The actress is far greater than the play. Nathalie Dormer (Margaery Tyrell in Game of Thrones) is totally hypnotising. Her co-star, David Oakes (currently on TV in Victoria), is more than adequate and is also easy on the eye but whatever your persuasion, I suspect you’re eyes will be drawn to every move, intonation and expression from the magnificent Nathalie Dormer. It’s sometimes hard to concentrate on anything but her central performance.

    Ignore the flimsiness of the play, although if S and M is your thing or you’ve ever contemplated this as a pastime then all the better. The main pleasure for most is the chance to watch such a virtuoso performance. Well worth seeing.

    Venue In Fur plays at the Theatre Royal Haymarket until 9th December 2018

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Hair, The Vaults, London

    ★★★ | Hair The Musical, The Vaults

    Hair, the original naked musical, is celebrating its 50th anniversary in a new production at The Vaults in London. Is the message that it sent in the hippie lovin’ 60s still relevant today? You betcha.

    When Hair was originally produced off-Broadway in New York City in 1967, its message of anti-establishment and free love, anti-war, and its display of full frontal nudity shocked audiences back then, leading to more publicity and packed houses. Now that we have Donald Trump in the most powerful office in the world, and with the UK ready to break off from the EU, and not to mention the political and socioeconomic changes happening around the world, Hair’s message is perhaps more relevant than ever before. But is it actually a good show?

    In the tiny, cosy and very hot theatre that is The Vaults under Waterloo station, 14 actors playing hippies sing and dance and sway their young lithe bodies all over the dirt floor that is the stage, and for one brief moment at the very end of the first half, they all get naked. And before and after in the second half, we are sung and spoken to by these youngsters as they tell their anti-war tales and burn their draft cards and the unlucky ones who are sent to fight in a war but come back with limbs, and emotions, gone.

    Yet all the favourite songs are here, songs that include ‘Aquarius,’ ‘Good Morning Starshine,’ and ‘Let the Sunshine In,’ songs that make this show famous, more so than the script. So if you’ve never actually seen Hair performed, go and see it now as this might be your last opportunity, but don’t expect to be wowed and awed in this production, though it might help if you take some stimulants to get you through the evening as this show is as mellow as can be.

    Hair plays at the Vaults Theatre, London until 3rd December 2017