THEGAYUK

Tag: UK

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Mamma Mia, The Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury

    ★★★| Mamma Mia 2017 National UK Tour

    REVIEW | Mamma Mia, The Marlow Theatre, Canterbury

    Sophie is determined to have her father walk her down the aisle at her forthcoming wedding. After finding out that there are three potential guys who may be her father, she invites them all to the forthcoming nuptials; but will she find out which one really is her father, and how will her mother react when three of her former lovers all turn up unexpectedly?

    Currently on its first ever UK tour, Mamma Mia is a show which needs little introduction. Based around the hit songs of Abba, the show has been a phenomenon for many years and continues to pack out theatres with its sunny setting, perfect pop and feel-good factor.

    The show feels as warm as the weather in the Greek setting to the story, with a set made up of a backdrop of brilliant blues and two moveable parts to the set which transforms the locations of the story very well. The lighting design is well conceived, the costumes include some spandex and stomping platform boots, and the whole thing is fairly seamless in its presentation.

    Sadly, for such a slick and polished production, the lead cast was disappointing; with both the acting and singing not being of a standard one would expect from such a huge show. Someone in the foyer joked “at least we won’t have to listen to Pierce Bronson sing tonight” (referring to his much-maligned performance in the film version of the show); but at times, his dulcet tones may have been a blessing. It is the ensemble cast who really shone in terms of their enthusiasm, singing and dancing; with more gorgeous gals and hunks in trunks than you can shake a stick at; and an abundance of muscular and ridiculously attractive young men in the ensemble with vast amounts of six packs, biceps and perfect pecs on display.

    But the real star of the show is the music, and with a soundtrack which plays out like your ABBA Gold CD, there are more than a few songs here that you will know every word to. There are some storming numbers, which work really well; “Money. Money, Money”, “Mamma Mia” and “Does Your Mother Know” are good ensemble pieces, and the collision of the stag and hen do’s to “Voulez Vous” was an enjoyable highlight; with this show reminding you of just how good ABBA really were.

    But where the show really succeeds is in the fact that it remains an absolute crowd-pleaser and presents itself with a real sense of fun. It’s a show which cranks up the camp, ditches the story and plot and goes all out to enjoy itself. It’s not perfect by any stretch, but by the time the crowd are on their feet singing and dancing at the end, you know that you have had a good couple of hours of escapism and managed to kick-start your summer.
    Mamma Mia plays at The Marlow Theatre, Canterbury until 29th July 2017 
    Review taken from the Sheffield Theatre’s production.

  • London’s transport system is going gender neutral

    Hearing “Ladies and Gentlemen” on London’s Underground is set to become a thing of the past as Transport for London looks to lose gendered announcements.

    London's transport system is going gender neutral

    It appears that Transport for London (TfL) is to stop using the term “ladies and gentlemen” to replace with a simple “everyone” on its public announcements. Campaigners have stressed that the gendered term belongs in the past.

    Employees have been told to stop using the term in announcements to passengers and instead use a more inclusive “everyone”.

    The change is happening after campaigners appealed to Sadiq Khan, London’s Mayor, to update the policy on announcements.

    Mark Evers, TfL’s boss of customer strategy, said the corporation wanted,

    “everyone to feel welcome on our transport network”.

    “We have reviewed the language that we use in announcements and elsewhere and will make sure that it is fully inclusive, reflecting the great diversity of London.”

    Stonewall, the LGBT charity backed the changes saying,

    “Language is extremely important to the lesbian, gay, bi and trans community, and the way we use it can help ensure all people feel included.

    “We welcome gender neutral announcements to be rolled out across TfL, as it will ensure that everyone – no matter who they identify as – feels accounted for.”

    Speaking at the Mayor’s Question Time last month, Sadiq explained,

    “Transport for London serves a vibrant, diverse and multicultural city, and provision of an inclusive transport service is at the heart of TfL’s purpose,” he said.

    “I am aware however, that some customers may not relate to or feel comfortable with the way that certain station announcements are made.

    “I am keen that TfL addresses these concerns by speaking in a more neutral way when referring to gender.”

     

  • Gay man wins pension rights for his husband in landmark legal case

    Landmark victory for LGBT rights: John Walker wins Supreme Court battle – ending pension inequality for same-sex couples.

    Liberty client John Walker has today won his five-year legal battle to secure equal pension benefits for his husband – in a landmark case that could change the lives of thousands of couples across the UK.

    The Supreme Court has ruled unanimously that an exemption in the Equality Act – letting employers exclude same-sex partners from spousal benefits paid into pension funds before December 2005 – is discriminatory and breaches EU equality laws.

    The ruling from the UK’s highest court means the provision is immediately disapplied. From today, companies taking advantage of the exemption will be breaking the law.

    It marks the end of a lengthy fight for Mr Walker and Liberty, after an initial Employment Tribunal victory in 2012.

    John Walker said,

    “I am absolutely thrilled at today’s ruling, which is a victory for basic fairness and decency. Finally, this absurd injustice has been consigned to the history books – and my husband and I can now get on with enjoying the rest of our lives together.

    “But it is to our Government’s great shame that it has taken so many years, huge amounts of taxpayers’ money and the UK’s highest court to drag them into the 21st century. In the years since we started this legal challenge, how many people have spent their final days uncertain about whether their loved one would be looked after? How many people have been left unprovided for, having already suffered the loss of their partner?

    “What I would like from Theresa May and her ministers today is a formal commitment that this change will stay on the statute books after Brexit.”

    Emma Norton, Liberty lawyer acting for Mr Walker, said,

    “We are delighted the Supreme Court recognised this pernicious little provision for what it was – discrimination against gay people, pure and simple.

    “But this ruling was made under EU law and is a direct consequence of the rights protection the EU gives us. We now risk losing that protection. The Government must promise that there will be no rollback on LGBT rights after Brexit – and commit to fully protecting them in UK law.

    “How else can John be sure he and others like him have achieved lasting justice today?”

    Background

    John Walker retired from chemicals group Innospec in 2003, having worked for the company for more than 20 years. During his time there, he was required to pay into its pension scheme. He made the same contributions as his heterosexual colleagues.

    Mr Walker and his husband have been together since 1993. They entered into a civil partnership in January 2006, having registered on the first day it was legally possible to do so. This was later converted into a marriage.

    Relying on the Equality Act exemption, Innospec made clear that – should Mr Walker die – his husband would not receive the same survivor benefits he would if he were a woman.

    Those benefits would not include all the contributions Mr Walker had made prior to 2005 – leaving his husband with a pension of only a few hundred pounds a year. If he were married to a woman, she would receive £45,000 a year for the rest of her life.

    Innospec’s position was supported by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), which joined the case and led much of the argument against Mr Walker.

    The DWP argued that gay couples in the position of Mr Walker and his husband should not benefit from the same pension arrangements as heterosexual couples.

    Today’s judgment

    Today’s unanimous judgment was given by Lord Kerr. All five justices agreed the loophole was discriminatory and breached EU law. The judgment finds that:

    • The legal status of gay and lesbian employees has been transformed by the introduction of equality legislation from the EU (paragraph 17).
    • Non-discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation is now a principle of EU law. Any denial of a spouse’s pension calculated on the basis of all Mr Walker’s years of service would be unlawful (paragraph 74).
    • The Equality Act loophole that enables such discrimination is unlawful and must be disapplied. Mr Walker’s husband is entitled to a spouse’s pension calculated on all the years of Mr Walker’s time with Innospec (paragraph 76).
    • Since the European Communities Act 1972, UK courts have had the power to disapply national law where it conflicts with EU law This will change when the UK leaves the EU.

  • G-A-Y’s landlords want to raise the rent by £400,000 A YEAR

    In a shocking revelation, Jeremy Joseph has revealed that the landlord of G-A-Y Late wants to raise the rent to nearly THREE-QUARTERS OF A MILLION POUNDS a year.

    Speaking to Vanessa Feltz on her BBC London show, Jeremy Joseph spoke about how G-A-Y Late’s venue, is under rent review following demands from the landlord that the rent to be raised from £300,000 to £700,000 a year a whopping £400,000 increase.

    He told Vanessa,

     “Rent is just ridiculous. G-A-Y Late, one of our venues, is up for rent review at the moment.

    “We currently pay up to £300,000 rent a year. The landlord is trying to get it up to £700,000, so we’re in a rent review.

    “A rent review alone costs thousands of pounds.

    “It’s taken six months for us to get to a point of arbitration, and I only found out a couple of weeks ago that the arbitrator will now decide how much we have to pay.

    “Once they decide how much, there will be no appeal whatsoever.

    “Whatever that rent is – and it could be double – we have no say in it.”

    If the rent review finds that £750,000 is an appropriate price for the central London venue, it could force the closure of G-A-Y Late. Jeremy told Vanessa that the bar was “completely under threat”.

    Rent reviews are a process which compares the average rents in a particular area. Landlords can drive up the rents if other properties are in a higher price bracket.

    Speaking to THEGAYUK.com about rent increases in 2016 Jeremy said,

    “It’s so hard to know, because one of the biggest fears at the moment is it’s not just the gay scene that is in trouble at the moment, it’s established shops in Soho for the last 30 years.

    “Rent increases, the way it kind of works is whenever you have a rent renewal, they can increase the rent.

    “When they increase rent, it’s based upon what other places are paying around your area. Anytime a new shop comes along and it may be a new restaurant all that, they agree with huge rent increase.

    Recently THEGAYUK.com found that over 115 venues across London had closed since the year 2000. A new project called the Lost LGBT Scene project was created to create an online archive of photos and memories of the various venues that have been lost in the UK’s capital.

     

  • Theresa May suspends anti-gay equality, N word MP Anne Marie Morris

    The UK’s Prime Minister, Theresa May, has suspended Anne Marie Morris after she used the N-word at Brexit discussion yesterday.

    Theresa May has suspended the Conservative MP Anne Marie Morris after she used a vile racist expression “n***** in the woodpile”.

    The whip was also removed.

    Speaking about the MP’s speech, Ms May said, “I was shocked to hear of these remarks, which are completely unacceptable, I immediately asked the Chief Whip to suspend the party whip. Language like this has absolutely no place in politics or in today’s society.”

    The MP for Newton Abbott had been speaking about Brexit where she said,

    “Now I’m sure there will be many people who’ll challenge that, but my response and my request is look at the detail, it isn’t all doom and gloom,

    “Now we get to the real n***** in the woodpile, which is, in two years, what happens if there is no deal?”

    The recording was unearthed by HuffPost who said that the Brexit-backing MP utter the disgraceful phrase, which has its origins in the late 19th and 20th century, as she described the idea of leaving the EU with no deal.

    Ms Morris has offered an “unreserved” apology saying she was sorry for “any offence caused” by her “entirely unintentional” racism.

  • Calls for anti-gay marriage MP Anne Marie Morris to resign after vile racist

    Calls for anti-gay marriage MP Anne Marie Morris to resign after vile racist

    Anne Marie Morris is under fire for using a racist phrase during a Brexit debate.

    Conservative MP Anne Marie Morris who voted against same-sex marriage in 2013 and was absent from a number of other same-sex marriage votes, is facing calls for her resignation after uttering a vile, racist phrase during a Brexit discussion which was recorded by a journalist in attendance.

    The recording was unearthed by HuffPost today who said that the Brexit-backing MP uttered the disgraceful phrase, which has its origins in the late 19th and 20th century, as she described the idea of leaving the EU with no deal.

    Ms Morris has offered an “unreserved” apology saying she was sorry for “any offence caused” by her “entirely unintentional” racism. The MP used the phrase, “And then we get to the real n***** in the woodpile which is in two years what happens if there is no deal?

    A spokesperson for the Conservative Party said they are “urgently investigating” stating that they were aware of the reports.

    Numerous people have called for Ms Morris to have the whip removed from her, which would mean that she would effectively stand as an independent candidate for her constituency.

    Guardian columnist Owen Jones has effectively called for the MP’s expulsion.

    Ms Morris assumed office in May 2010 and managed to increase her majority in the 2017 General Election from 11288 to 17160 votes.

     

  • WATCH | Gay man fighting cancer for a year, get surprise of his life at Pride In London

    This weekend, 21-year-old Dean Eastmond, got the surprise of his life when a video message was broadcast in front of thousands in Trafalgar Square.

    Who is Dean Eastmond, gay man fighting cancer,

     

    At this Saturday’s Pride in London (8th July 2017) Dean Eastmond, a 21-year-old LGBT advocate and journalist, living with cancer, was surprised with a special video from family and friends, which was beamed across Trafalgar Square to an audience of thousands.

    Dean, was diagnosed with cancer last year. 12 months on he’s still fighting the disease, as treatment so far has proved unsuccessful.

    To help raise awareness of Dean’s work in shifting stigma of LGBT people with cancer, social change company, Shape History, teamed up with Pride in London, to surprise Dean with the emotional video.

    Dean Eastmond, following his surprise, said:

    “I was so overwhelmed and shocked! When the drag queen on stage mentioned a 21 year old with cancer, my initial reaction was “oh wow, there’s someone here like me”. It took a while for it to click on that she was talking about me! The video has really shown me how important my friends are to me and (apparently) how important I am to them! I have no idea how they kept it as quiet as they did, but it was a beautiful last moment until I re-start chemotherapy.”

    Mike Buonaiuto, Executive Director of Shape History said:

    “When we first heard Dean’s story we were truly touched and inspired by what he has been working on in spite of going through treatment for cancer.”

    “He’s campaigned and stopped discrimination faced by LGBT people living with cancer wanting to freeze their sperm, he has launched a successful queer culture magazine across the UK for young people, and has written about his struggles going through cancer –  inspiring thousands online in the process.”

    “When his treatment was unsuccessful we decided as a team we had to do something – and spread Dean’s message to thousands more people in Trafalgar Square on Saturday – surprising Dean in the process. It’s our hope more people will find his work and be inspired.”

  • Britain’s highest ranking LGBT+ politician sends a message before Pride In London

    Conservative politician, Justine Greening the UK’s highest ranking openly LGBT+ MP has reached out to the community before the UK’s biggest Pride tomorrow.

    Minister for Women and Equalities Justine Greening said:

    “I am delighted to support this year’s Pride celebrations, a key moment to show how far LGBT people have come in the fight for equality. It is also a chance to showcase our country’s values of tolerance, acceptance and openness to the rest of the world.

    “It is also a reminder of the work we still have to do to stamp out homophobic bullying and hate crime, which can have such a damaging impact on LGBT people’s lives. That is why we’re working with a range of partners such as Stonewall, Barnardo’s and LGBT Consortium to stamp out anti-LGBT bullying in our schools. We are educating young people about accepting and respecting each other’s individuality with a £3m anti-LGBT bullying programme and we are investing £300,000 as part of the cross-government Hate Crime Action Plan in programmes to tackle hate crime in communities.

    “I hope everyone across the country has a fantastic time celebrating Pride and the progress we’ve made in the fight for equality, as we build a fairer, more equal future for everyone.”

  • The original rainbow flag is coming to the UK

    Gilbert Baker’s original rainbow flag is going to be displayed in London’s Design Museum – as a permanent feature.

    The original iconic rainbow flag, created by Gilbert Baker in 1978 is to be displayed permanently in London. The Design Museum in London has acquired a series of new objects for its permanent collection

    New acquisitions include the rainbow flag, David Bowie’s Blackstar album, a coffee cup for astronauts and Oculus Rift’s virtual reality headset.

    The rainbow flag, originally created by San Francisco artist Gilbert Baker, is the Design Museum’s first acquisition since moving to its new home in Kensington High Street. Identified as one of the defining designs of the modern age, the flag was part of an original series of ten that Baker designed and created in 1978.

    Also known as the gay pride flag or LGBT pride flag, the design reflects the diversity of the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) community. Originating in northern California, the flag has been adopted worldwide and is now a globally recognised symbol.

    Gilbert Baker sadly died earlier this year at the age of 65.

     

    OPENING TIMES AND TICKET INFORMATION:
    Open daily 10:00 – 18:00 (last admission 17:00)
    Adult £10.50
    Student/concession £8*
    Family (1 adult + 3 children) £17
    Family (2 adults + 3 children) £24
    Child (6 – 15 years) £5.25
    Children under 6 years free
    Members free

  • Casting announced for National Theatre’s run of Bent

    The National Theatre will mark the 50th anniversary of the partial decriminalisation of homosexuality in England and Wales by staging the first of many LGBT+ events.

    A group of world-class actors and directors will look at how theatre has charted the LGBT+ experience through a series of rehearsed readings and post-show discussions in the Lyttelton Theatre.

    The fourth play in the NT’s Queer Theatre series of rehearsed readings is Bent by Martin Sherman (1979), directed by Stephen Daldry on Sunday 9th July 2.30pm.

    Following Nazi Germany’s Night Of The Long Knives in 1934, gay lovers Max and Rudy are taken away to Dachau by the Gestapo. Desperate to avoid the dreaded Pink Triangle, Max claims to be Jewish. In amongst the horrors of the Camp, he meets Horst who wears his Pink Triangle with pride.

    Cast announced today includes:

    George Mackay, Simon Russell Beale, Giles Terera, Pip Torrens, Paapa Essiedu, John Pfumojena and Adrian Grove.

    The NT’s Queer Theatre event series is hosted in partnership with Pride in London and includes:

    • Neaptide by Sarah Daniels, directed by Sarah Frankcom, Thursday 6 July, 7.30pm
    • Wig Out! written and directed by Tarell Alvin McCraney, Friday 7 July, 7.30pm
    • Certain Young Men written and directed by Peter Gill, Sat 8 July, 7.30pm
    • Bent by Martin Sherman, directed by Stephen Daldry, Sunday 9 July, 2.30pm
    • The Drag by Mae West, directed by Polly Stenham, Monday 10 July, 7.30pm.

     

    Book tickets now

  • Aberdeenshire man gets unpaid work punishment after homophobic police fight

    A man has been punished with 50 hours of unpaid work after a fight with police.

    Gavin Knights, 20, was sentenced at the Aberdeen Sheriff Court to 50 unpaid work after admitting to threatening behaviour towards police on the 13th June. His defence, David Sutherland, said that alcohol had induced “fairly shocking behaviour.”

    During the incident, Mr Gavin uttered threats towards the police, as well as kicked a police van and used homophobic language.

    Mr Knight will also be under supervision for nine months.