THEGAYUK

Tag: UK

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Dirty Dancing, Princess Theatre Torquay

    ★★★ | Dirty Dancing, Princess Theatre Torquay

    Set in the 1960’s, Frances “Baby” Houseman goes to Kellerman’s holiday camp with her family. She befriends the staff of the camp and develops a crush on charismatic dance teacher, Johnny Castle. When Johnny’s dance partner cannot perform at a show at a local hotel, Baby steps in to ensure that they do not lose their jobs. But as Johnny and Baby rehearse, they fall in love and learn more from each other than just the dance moves.

    Based on the hugely popular film of the same name, Dirty Dancing hits the stage with a show which follows the story of the film very closely, with the bulk of the script being comfortingly recognisable from the film. There are some additional scenes thrown in, which mainly expand on the political changes in the 60’s and some which flesh out the relationship between Baby and Johnny; whilst the show’s music came from a combination of both live and pre-recorded tracks, including “Hungry Eyes”, “Love Man” and “(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life”

    Katie Eccles and Robert Colvin took the lead roles of Baby and Johnny, and had some chemistry between them; and they were supported by a broadly competent cast of singers, dancers and musicians. Unsurprisingly, the dancing was better than the acting, but given that the show’s main focus is the musical numbers it doesn’t cause too much of a problem.

    The show has been given a major overhaul and is all the better for it. This production has a vibrant lighting design and has ushered in a luxurious, well designed and thoroughly detailed set which transform smoothly without ever interrupting the story; whilst the show has been sexed up a little with a few more bare chests and muscular arms on display. Overall, the production values here are very high and very impressive.

    But where the show really succeeds is in its ability to bring the movie to life and recreating it on stage. All of the familiar lines, plot points, dance routines and songs are there and there is something very comforting about watching such a faithful recreation of the movie. For those who have not seen the film, the show is a good introduction to the world of Kellerman’s. For established fans of the film, the show will be hard to beat.

    Dirty Dancing is playing at the Princess Theatre Torquay until 5th August 2017

    • Review taken from the Sheffield Theatre production

  • THEATRE REVIEW | The Play That Goes Wrong, Marlowe Theatre Canterbury

    ★★★★★ – Dangerous, jaw-dropping and comedy genius!

    Mischief Theatre, in role as The Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society, brought to the Marlowe Theatre in Canterbury stage an uproariously funny murder mystery entitled The Murder at Haversham Manor and it went south, literally.

    The Play That Goes Wrong was a comedic masterpiece, like its successor Peter Pan, Goes Wrong, with dangerous and risky tricks that left audiences clutching on to their seats as pieces of stage fell off and got thrown around, sometimes missing the actors by inches. The actors were so efficient in everything they did, from balancing three objects across two body parts, to expertly delivering their lines while dodging canvasses, candelabras and each other. What was sublime about The Play That Goes Wrong was that if ever you have seen an amateur, or a badly produced professional, play, this show embodies the different mistakes and disasters that have occurred in the former shows. There’ll be a moment where you cannot help but recall a bad production where sets had fallen down or actors had genuinely forgotten lines and asked for “line” throughout entire speeches.

    Jason Callender who plays Jonathan playing Charles Haversham was brilliant. His gag was always turning up at the wrong point in the play, revealing the ending every time. It was very comedic, too, when Jonathan was rarely allowed to play dead, for actors clumsily walked on him, sat on him, or fell on him. He made the audience laugh at his every entrance, and I chiefly loved his sneaking off stage wriggling subtly on the floor as if to kid the audience that we couldn’t see him depart. Patrick Warner who plays Chris playing Inspector Carter was a comedy genius. Every reaction was crafted to perfection, and his lines were well-timed with the action. The audience hung on to every word he said. He played the director too, so it was particularly hilarious when, under his breath, he would mutter a direction to understudies that had come on to fill in for a part. Ham acting is a feature often prominent in amateur murder mystery productions, and Alastair Kirton playing Max playing Cecil Haversham did a sterling job showcasing this. Max’s sawing the air with his hands and over dramatising his role while stopping to smile as the audience laughed during one of his lines, was incredibly entertaining. When Max changed role to be the Gardener he flashed his clothes to tell it was still him, and that he had returned, but as a different character. Absolutely hilarious. Lastly, Natasha Culley as Sandra Wilkinson enacting the role of Florence Colleymoore was a treat. Sandra was everything that had ever gone wrong with acting all sewn together in one actress. Her ticks, shallow demeanour, and not able to improvise without direction, was a great feast for the senses. Her overproduction of movement as she spoke, too, was hilarious. Overall, each cast member contributed to one of funniest nights I’ve had this year.

    The Play That Goes Wrong was especially entertaining for the set was a safety hazard, as the study, built atop of the drawing room, with no rails or support, collapsed gradually while the actors were still on there. It eventually fell down while an actor was under it, but the dexterity by which the actors moved and positioned themselves, made the accidents sort of safe, and we could exhale once again.

    Mischief Theatre is like Alton Towers, you queue to get on, you get several scares, and then you want to hop on again and again.

    The Play That Goes Wrong is playing at the Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury until 5th August 2017

  • THEATRE REVIEW | The Marriage of Kim K., Areola Theatre, London

    ★★★★ | The Marriage of Kim K.

    For a different night at the theatre, go see “The Marriage of Kim K.”

    Yes, you read that right. The famous opera “The Marriage of Figaro” has been modernised for the 21st century in a show now playing at the Arcola Theatre – it’s a show that reflects our appetite for all things reality. And there is no bigger reality star than Kim Kardashian. But the “Marriage of Kim K.” goes a bit further, it specifically looks at Kim K.’s 72-day marriage to American basketball star Kris Humphries in 2011. And this segment of their marriage is interspliced with a modern day couple watching television and a third couple actual performing scenes from “The Marriage of Figaro” opera. It’s a bit unusual, yes, but it works.

    For 90 minutes, all three couples have their moment. Kris (James Edge who plays the tall and dumb athlete very well) can only think of one thing – sex – with Kim K. (Yasemin Mireille – who’s got a butt to rival Kim K.s’). And newly-qualified lawyer and Keeping Up With The Kardiashian’s-watching fan Amelia (Amelia Gabriel – very good) and her yet to be successful songwriting husband Stephen (Stephen Hyde – good as well), and by the way who are a couple in real life, are all lovey dovey then bicker about her KUWTK addiction. And Emily Burnett (excellent) plays Countess Almaviva while Nathan Bellis (good) is Count Almaviva. The differences in their background – he comes from aristocracy while she has a less privileged background – causes rifts and tension in their marriage. And the finale of this show takes off in a crescendo-exploding battle of the singing divas and divos as they all fight to save their marriages (except Kim K. because before the end of her marriage to Kris she had already met Kanye West). And we all know that it took Kim and Kris two years to actual get their divorce final because Kim wanted an annulment while Kris wanted an actual divorce.

    Hyde, who wrote the music, and Leo Mercer, story and lyrics, have created a unique and timely piece of theatre that is innovative and timely. It’s very unique and is much more interesting that anything the Kardashians get up to themselves.

    The Marriage of Kim K. is part of Arcola Theatre’s Grimborn season, where bold new versions of classic operas, rarely-seen and long forgotten works, are being presented until September 2, 2017

    Get more information about Arcola Theatre

     

  • THEATRE REVIEW | The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time, Liverpool Empire

    ★★★| The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time, UK Tour

    REVIEW | The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time, Liverpool Empire

    Christopher Boone, a 15 year old boy, discovers that his neighbour’s dog, Wellington, has been killed by someone (the poor dog having been stabbed with a garden fork), and sets off to find out who the culprit is. But Christopher has Asperger’s syndrome, which makes his perception and functioning very different to other boys his age and as the truth behind Wellington’s death starts to be revealed, it leads Christopher to embark on a remarkable adventure.

    The show is based on the hugely successful book by Mark Haddon and has been a West End and Broadway hit. Utilising a virtually empty stage, the presentation of the show was intriguing, using screens on the back and sides of the stage, almost framing the show in a cube, reflective of Christopher’s constraints in his functioning. Lights flicker like the firing of neurons in his brain, and black and white projections are used to show both his thought process and to set the scene. The show, like the book, is written from Christopher’s point of view and the presentation effectively places the audience members squarely into the centre of his mind and thoughts. The simplicity of the set is reflective of the way in which Christopher perceives the world and worked very well. There were pieces of carefully choreographed movement throughout, and the scene where Christopher arrives in London and is overwhelmed by the overstimulation of his environment is very well done. In this show, less certainly is more, and the monochrome set nicely mirrored Christopher’s rather binary thinking.

    But placing the style and presentation to one side, the most impressive aspect of the show was the central performance of Scott Reid. Reid’s portrayal of Christopher Boone was highly accomplished – mixing the complexities of the characters personality, his physical traits and a childlike innocence which combined to provide a rounded and believable performance

    The show, and in particular, the first act, is very well written, with a script which imports large chunks of text from the book to provide a faithful adaptation of the source material. Despite being bleak at times, the show was filled with gentle humour; and created a world with a myriad of characters that come in and out of Christopher’s life which nestle alongside the well-crafted moments of dramatic tension and emotionally powerful scenes.

    The show has won a slew of awards, including 7 Olivier Awards and 5 Tony Awards, and it is easy to see why. There is a lot of depth to the play, exploring the adult world of interpersonal relationships through a simplistic and innocent perspective.

    The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time is playing at the Liverpool Empire until 29th July

    • Review taken from Sheffield Theatre production.

  • THEATRE REVIEW | The Wedding Singer, Llandudno Venue Cymru

    ★★ | The Wedding Singer, Llandudno Venue Cymru 

    THEATRE REVIEW | The Wedding Singer, Sheffield Lyceum Theatre

    Robbie Hart is a popular wedding singer who has his belief in love shattered when he is jilted at the alter by his fiancé. But as he has promised to sing at the wedding of affable waitress Julia to her sleazy, materialistic boyfriend, Glenn, he spends his time helping her prepare for her big day. But amongst the gift registry and dress shopping, the two of them slowly fall for each other, and as Julia’s big day approaches, will they both find the courage to tell each other how they feel?

    This 80’s set musical is based on the film of the same name and is packed with a full list of original songs, a smattering of ensemble pieces and a rapping granny. In terms of the cast, Ray Quinn (X-Factor) stood head and shoulders amongst the performers, with a good performance as Glenn, whilst Cassie Compton (X-Factor) and UK Eurovision singer Lucie Jones provided competent support and, to their credit, some superb singing.

    But aside from a handful of good performances, sadly, the whole thing just simply didn’t hang together. The onslaught of songs became intrusive to the progression of the narrative, the clunky and cumbersome set changes interrupted the flow and the show overall fell somewhere between lacklustre and dull. Add into that an incredibly cringe worthy seduction scene between Robbie and his ex-fiancé, a significant lack of chemistry between the two leads and some borderline offensive stereotypes of gay men which felt more like ridicule than parody and you have a rather disappointing production.

    But where the show really lets itself down is in its lack of an 80’s feel, especially given that the decade is ripe for the picking in terms of its cultural identity.  Part of the charm of the film that the show is based on is its nods to the decade, from the fashions to the music; something that is noticeably missing from this show. It takes more than a randomly placed Rubiks Cube, a Sony Walkman and a reference to the size of a mobile phone to set the 80’s scene. But the biggest omission is that the original songs didn’t have even a tinge of 80’s synth pop to them and were so generic that, on the whole, they could have come from any musical set in any decade; whilst the costumes missed the opportunity to fully exploit the decade that fashion forgot.

    The show did finally come alive during the last scene and the curtain call, but it was far too little far too late, and couldn’t avoid the show receiving a rather muted reception from the generally unimpressed audience.

    The Wedding Singer is currently playing at Llandudno Venue Cymru until 29th July 2017

    • Review taken from the Sheffield Production.

     

  • Are there Lesbian Bars in London?

    London has the highest number of LGBT+ bars, clubs and venues in the UK. So does it have any lesbian bars and clubs where are they?

    Are there Lesbian Bars in London?

    London’s LGBT+ scene is the largest in the UK and it does include at least one lesbian venue. The most famous and central is the She Soho in Soho on Old Compton Street (number 23a to be precise).  She Soho is mainly focussed at the LBQ women community and says it is the only “women-priority venue” in London, although men are welcome to enter with female guests. The venue has the hottest DJs on the scene, alongside regular drag king cabaret, burlesque and social events.

    Probably the most famous bar before She Soho was Candy based in Carlisle Street in Soho, which closed permanently in 2014 due to rent increase demands. It was subject of a 4 part documentary on Channel 5 called Candy Bar Girls. There was also an event called Lounge which also closed despite attempts to bring back the evening in 2014.

    Of course, London has many LGBT+ spaces you can find our full listings of LGBT+ and gay-friendly bars and pubs here

     

     

  • THEATRE REVIEW | An American In Paris, Dominion Theatre, London

    ★★★★★ | An American In Paris

    THEATRE REVIEW | An American In Paris, Dominion Theatre, London

    Post war Paris 1945 and there’s a definite mood for love in the air after the desolation of World War II. Handsome American soldier and aspiring artist, Jerry Mulligan is eager to experience all that Paris has to offer and is quickly smitten with Lise, a young ballerina with a troubled wartime past. Naturally, it’s all a bit complicated as Jerry isn’t the only one after Lise’s affections.

    Garnering an impressive set of 5-star reviews when it opened earlier this year it’s not hard to see why this adaptation of the classic film is such a smash hit and an absolute must see. Beautiful scenery, handsome men some belting tunes apart, you’ve now got a good reason to make a return visit (not that you’d need one) as the production has a hot new lead dancer/singer/actor by the name of Ashley Day.

    Ashley is a sensation. He’s not just a pretty face and toned body either (but oh what a pretty faced and toned body). He bounds around impressively with enough grace and elegance to make you wonder if he’s got some genes that mere mortals like us don’t possess. He also gives a fine acting performance and can belt out a tune. He slots beautifully into the more than able cast.

    This is an impressive show on many levels and not least of its achievements is the breath taking scenery. The back projections and stage trickery with perspective are beguiling and I’d happily just sit and watch the painterly strokes as the stage becomes a giant canvas awash with colour. There’s also the famous prolonged dance sequence, the classic hits of Gershwin and if that’s not enough there’s even Paul McCartney’s ex-girlfriend and cake baker extraordinaire Jane Asher.

    If you love musicals then this is a must see. If you hate musicals then it’s also a must see. Take a deep breath and give it a go. You’ll be surprised. This defies description and has to be seen at least once.

    An American In Paris plays at the Dominion Theatre until January 2018

  • THEATRE REVIEW | The Play That Goes Wrong, Plymouth Theatre Royal

    ★★★★★ – Dangerous, jaw-dropping and comedy genius!

    Mischief Theatre, in role as The Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society, brought to the Plymouth Theatre Royal stage an uproariously funny murder mystery entitled The Murder at Haversham Manor and it went south, literally.

    The Play That Goes Wrong was a comedic masterpiece, like its successor Peter Pan, Goes Wrong, with dangerous and risky tricks that left audiences clutching on to their seats as pieces of stage fell off and got thrown around, sometimes missing the actors by inches. The actors were so efficient in everything they did, from balancing three objects across two body parts, to expertly delivering their lines while dodging canvasses, candelabras and each other. What was sublime about The Play That Goes Wrong was that if ever you have seen an amateur, or a badly produced professional, play, this show embodies the different mistakes and disasters that have occurred in the former shows. There’ll be a moment where you cannot help but recall a bad production where sets had fallen down or actors had genuinely forgotten lines and asked for “line” throughout entire speeches.

    Jason Callender who plays Jonathan playing Charles Haversham was brilliant. His gag was always turning up at the wrong point in the play, revealing the ending every time. It was very comedic, too, when Jonathan was rarely allowed to play dead, for actors clumsily walked on him, sat on him, or fell on him. He made the audience laugh at his every entrance, and I chiefly loved his sneaking off stage wriggling subtly on the floor as if to kid the audience that we couldn’t see him depart. Patrick Warner who plays Chris playing Inspector Carter was a comedy genius. Every reaction was crafted to perfection, and his lines were well-timed with the action. The audience hung on to every word he said. He played the director too, so it was particularly hilarious when, under his breath, he would mutter a direction to understudies that had come on to fill in for a part. Ham acting is a feature often prominent in amateur murder mystery productions, and Alastair Kirton playing Max playing Cecil Haversham did a sterling job showcasing this. Max’s sawing the air with his hands and over dramatising his role while stopping to smile as the audience laughed during one of his lines, was incredibly entertaining. When Max changed role to be the Gardener he flashed his clothes to tell it was still him, and that he had returned, but as a different character. Absolutely hilarious. Lastly, Natasha Culley as Sandra Wilkinson enacting the role of Florence Colleymoore was a treat. Sandra was everything that had ever gone wrong with acting all sewn together in one actress. Her ticks, shallow demeanour, and not able to improvise without direction, was a great feast for the senses. Her overproduction of movement as she spoke, too, was hilarious. Overall, each cast member contributed to one of funniest nights I’ve had this year.

    The Play That Goes Wrong was especially entertaining for the set was a safety hazard, as the study, built atop of the drawing room, with no rails or support, collapsed gradually while the actors were still on there. It eventually fell down while an actor was under it, but the dexterity by which the actors moved and positioned themselves, made the accidents sort of safe, and we could exhale once again.

    Mischief Theatre is like Alton Towers, you queue to get on, you get several scares, and then you want to hop on again and again.

    The Play That Goes Wrong is playing at the Plymouth Theatre Royal until 29th July 2017

     

    Originally reviewed at the Birmingham Rep

  • Two Brewers’ manager is a multi-award winner thanks to tireless efforts for the community

    Boss of the Two Brewers in Clapham, Jimmy Smith, has received two of the highest community accolades in recognition of 25 years supporting the LGBT+ community and is up for a 2017 award hat trick adding Great British Best Managed Pub to the honours.

    Having managed almost every prestigious LGBT gay cabaret bar over the last three decades with huge community spirit, it was a surprise only to the humble operator himself when he was called out at the Pride annual dinner last week to be commemorated for outstanding support of the LGBT+ community in London over 25 years.

    Pride London Co-Chair Michael Salter-Church MBE gave Jimmy the honour just a week after the Mayoress of Lambeth had awarded him the ‘Lambeth Coat of Arms’, on the 25th anniversary day of Jimmy joining current employers Stonegate Pub Company.

    “It was the most bizarre experience,” said Jimmy. “I was sat at the event as I do every year, listening to a narrative on this year’s winner and about five minutes in, it dawned on me that they might be talking about me!”

    Also recognising Jimmy’s achievements, Stonegate had entered the Two Brewers into the Great British Pub Awards for Best Managed Pub, and last week got the news that they had been shortlisted in the final six with the chance of taking the title after a final round of judging in August.

    “Talk about an insane two weeks!” added Jimmy.

    But it’s not just awarded adding to the insanity. In the last two weeks alone, Jimmy has raised almost £10,000 for Pride London, Grenfell Tower victims and other local charities totalling £25,000 donated this year, with thousands more in previous years.

    The support isn’t just fundraising with Jimmy chief organiser and advisor to anyone who asks for his support including the Kings Cross Steelers, founded 1995 as the first ever gay inclusive rugby union club; Best Bar None – last year a winner in recognition for his contribution to a safe late night economy; and London Titans Football Club, one of the biggest and most successful LGBT football teams in the United Kingdom.

    If Jimmy does beat all other UK pubs to take Best Managed Pub, the one thing that is guaranteed is dancing in the streets, a huge amount of laughter, and sensational cabaret with every member of the London LGBT+ community celebrating.

    The Great British Pub awards will be presented on 7th September at the London Hilton on Park Lane in London.

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Briefs: Close Encounters, Underbelly Festival

    ★★★★ | Briefs: Close Encounters, Underbelly Festival

    Those naughty Briefs boys are back in town with their own unique brand of burlesque, drag and circus skills. In a brand new show themed around alien encounters (but without a single mention of anal probing), they display their quirky brand of queer cabaret in the iconic Spiegeltent on the South Bank.

    THEATRE REVIEW | Briefs: Close Encounters, Underbelly Festival

    If you’ve seen any of their previous shows then you’ll know to expect a lot of male flesh on show, a hint of subversive kink and a tongue in cheek sense of fun pervading the proceedings. If you’re a Briefs virgin then prepare to be titillated and amused.

    There’s an inevitable hint of hen party to it all but the boys play with this idea, put a pin in the inflatable man and turn the idea of men gyrating for your pleasure on its head. They then laugh in its face whilst tickling it with a pair of massive false eyelashes. From the moment they appear as saucy cheerleaders with giant pink powder puffs and morph into a buttock flashing troupe of feather wielding alien life forms, you know that you’re in safe and well-manicured hands. There’s a weird re-enactment of Kate Bush’s ‘Hounds of Love’ video, juggling, trapeze work and some dance routines that make you feel like you’re on an acid trip. Whilst the circus skills are likely to be things you’ve seen before they’re styled in a way that you almost certainly haven’t. Although the show doesn’t always feel as consistent as it should be it’s still a great night out.

    Is it tacky? Is it bizarre? Is it raucous? Of course. Are those bad things? Of course not!

    Briefs: Close Encounters plays at the Underbelly Festival until the 30th September 2017

  • Government to “de-medicalise” the transition process

    The UK’s Government has announced radical new plans to “streamline and de-medicalise” the process by which transgender people can have their gender legally recognised quicker and easier.

    Today Justine Greening, the Minister for Women and Equalities announced plans that would end the medical process by which trans people must currently navigate in order to legally change their gender. In the announcement laid out today, people will no longer need a diagnosis of gender dysphoria or to prove that they have been in transition for two years before they can apply to legally change their gender.

    Minister for Women and Equalities Justine Greening said,

    “This government is committed to building an inclusive society that works for everyone, no matter what their gender or sexuality and today we’re taking the next step forward.

    “We will build on the significant progress we have made over the past 50 years, tackling some of the historic prejudices that still persist in our laws and giving LGBT people a real say on the issues affecting them.”

    Removing stigma from the Gender Recognition Act

    The consultation on the Gender Recognition Act, to be published in the Autumn will look to improve the recognition process and reduce the stigma faced by the trans community. Proposals will include, removing the need for medical diagnosis of gender dysphoria, which is currently necessary in order to change a person’s legal gender. Proposals for streamlining the entire process will also be discussed.

    Trans advocate and Labour party candidate in East Worthing and Shoreham in the 2017 General Election Sophie Cook applauded the cross-party approach saying,

    “The Gender Recognition Act forces people to jump through hoops and undergo deeply personal and intimate examination of their life including medical evidence and, if you’re married, a declaration from your spouse in order to gain a Gender Recognition Certificate (GRC).

    Since I transitioned in 2015 I have faced prejudice, abuse and even death threats and it’s time for Parliament to recognise the challenges that trans people face and work to eradicate bigotry in all of its forms.

    Despite, very obviously, being my true self and living my life in my true gender I do not have a GRC.

    My passport, driving license and all other documents identify me as female and yet under the law without a GRC my rights could potentially be in danger.

    There have been cases of trans women losing their lives because the lack of a GRC placed them in harm’s way, most notably inside our prison system.

    In the Labour manifesto we recognised that the act was out of date and pledged to change it and I’m pleased to see that the government is moving ahead with this reform.

    Everyone should be afforded the right to self-identification, no doctor, judge or politician can presume to know more about an individuals identity than they do themselves.”