THEGAYUK

Tag: UK

  • FIRST LOOK | Gay musical YANK! pictures

    FIRST LOOK | Gay musical YANK! pictures

    War-time gay love story Yank! has released its first look pictures… and they look incredible!

    credit Anthony Robling

    The long-awaited European Premiere of war-time love story Yank! is now open and running preview performances in Manchester ahead of its official opening on Wednesday evening at the Hope Mill Theatre, already standing ovations have taken place at each of the five preview performances.

    The musical will run until Saturday 8 April at Hope Mill Theatre.

    credit Anthony Robling

    The musical tells a gay love story set in the midst of World War Two. Based on the real history and events of WW2, it focuses on the life of Stu, a scared Mid-Western youngster who is called up to serve in the forces in 1943. He becomes a photographer for Yank Magazine, the journal ‘for and by the servicemen’. The musical explores what it means to be a man, and what it is to fall in love and struggle.

    credit Anthony Robling
  • THEATRE REVIEW | Southern Baptist Sissies, Above the Stag Theatre, London

    THEATRE REVIEW | Southern Baptist Sissies, Above the Stag Theatre, London

    ★★★★★ | Southern Baptist Sissies, Above the Stag Theatre, London

    There’s something in the holy water at a Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas because all of the boys there are gay. And they’re not the only ones who have a story to tell. It all unravels in Southern Baptist Sissies, the new show at Above the Stage Theatre.

    Southern Baptist Sissies is actually two shows in one. Four boys live in a religious community where they spend their days praying and the rest of the time all they can think about are other boys! Then in a very hilarious, emotional and witty way, we see these boys grow up to become young men, full of passion, love and in one case, regret. Separately there are scenes set in a gay drag bar where two barflies have a conversation about their lives, their adventures and their regrets while the young men from the church segments portray other characters in the bar. It’s genius!!!

    Southern Baptist Sissies cleverly intertwines both stories while we get to know a bit about each character. Mark (Jason Kirk) does an outstanding job as the narrator who is also in love with the very sexy and muscular TJ (Daniel Klemens), whose other character is a sexy go go boy in the gay drag bar. James Phoon is a revelation as Benny, the most feminine of the boys, yet as alter ego Miss Iona Taylor, he’s the star of the show at the drag bar. The scene where’s he’s disrobing while pouring his heart out is absolutely stunning. And last but not least there is Andrew (Hugh O’Donnell), a sensitive young man who unfortunately has a very disapproving mother (Janet Prince). Don Cotter (as Preston) and Julie Ross (as Odette) are brilliant as the couple who exchange stories at the bar; two older people looking back at the past while contemplating what’s left of their future, with Preston always ogling the young men in the bar. It’s all fantastically put together in a fab script by Del Shores and superb direction by Gene David Kirk.

    After a few mediocre shows, Above the Stag has really upped their game with this show. It’s funny, relevant, emotional and at the end literally had the audience in tears. There are still tickets left for a few performances – BOOK THEM NOW – it’s a show you definitely don’t want to miss! If, and when, this show sells out, hopefully Above the Stag will be able to re-stage it when they move to a larger venue just down the road. More people really need to see this show.

    For tickets, please go to:

    http://www.abovethestag.com/shows/

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Who’s Afraid Of Virginia Woolf

    THEATRE REVIEW | Who’s Afraid Of Virginia Woolf

    Who’s Afraid Of Virginia Woolf

    Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf review
    Credit : Johan Persson 

    There are plays that are legendary and roles that have become iconic, making them feel impossible to reinterpret.

    The lacerating portrayal of George and his brash alcoholic wife Martha in Mike Nichols’ 1966 film by real life hard drinking, on/off couple Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton was a work of perfect genius.

    Surely this is impossible to equal? Watch and learn though. James Macdonald’s version is as close to perfection as can be and the assembly of a sublime script, a clutch of multi-award actors and a notable director have created something breath taking and rare.

    Have you ever had one of those nights where you’ve had too much to drink and end up holed up with one of those bickering couples who are determined to emotionally swipe at each other? Meet George and Martha: a middle-aged failed author, college lecturer and his drunken wife, daughter of the head of the college. New to the campus are Nick and Honey. He’s a prime piece of beef, a precocious high achiever in his late twenties with a mousy wife who can’t handle her drink. It’s way after midnight and the drinks are flowing. Let the games commence.

    Openly gay playwright Edward Albee was often asked about theories that the two couples in the play are based on gay men. He rubbished these claims and stated that had he wished to write about gay men then he would have done so. Whatever his intention this is a funny, painful play. Whether taken at face value as a play about relationships or as something deeper about the state of America or humanity, it’s a marathon at three hours long, but that’s worth taking part in in one and is as joyful as it is visceral. As the couples take bites out of each other the one-liners flow and the comedy morphs into something more painful and ultimately illustrates something touching and tender.

    Macdonald has captured more of the comedy in the piece than in some versions and Imelda Staunton and Conleth Hill are pitch perfect actors. Luke Treadway manages a fine depiction of cocky male confidence and it would be remiss of me not to mention his equally fine buttocks that he moves to strong effect. Imogen Poots is endearing as Honey. Their iconic roles and hard for an actor to make his or her own but the team manage this with aplomb.

    This is theatre at its finest. Go and see it now. It’s not often something this hot comes to town.

    Who’s Afraid Of Virginia Woolf plays at the Harold Pinter Theatre until 27th May 2017

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Frankenstein, Wilton’s Music Hall, London

    THEATRE REVIEW | Frankenstein, Wilton’s Music Hall, London

    ★★★★★ | Frankenstein, Wilton’s Music Hall, London

    A re-imagining of the classic story Frankenstein is told to amazing effect in the new show simply titled ‘Frankenstein.’

    In the perfect venue that is Wilton’s Music Hall, George Fletcher is a wonder as he portrays both Frankenstein and The Creature. Fletcher lives and breathes his performance for every one of the seventy minutes he is on stage. Assisted by Rowena Lennon as the chorus and as his wife Elizabeth, Fletcher gives a very physical performance where he morphs from man to grotesque monster, right before our very eyes.

    Working with a bare minimum on stage, which includes two bright lamps, a chest, and a full length mirror, Fletcher as the creature learns to talk, say his name, while an audience member engages him to repeat his name, then her name. We are witness to this, Fletcher being both man and monster, and it’s a show and performance that is riveting, raw and amazing.

    Wilton’s Music Hall has just undergone a £3 million programme of restoration work to ensure the infrastructure of the building is sound, but it still might look like it did when John Wilton combined the existing properties in the 1860’s to turn it into what it is today. it looks, and feels, when you walk in, liked you’ve stepped back in time. Separate drinking areas encompass the two story venue, with two bars and a kitchen that serves a small a variety of food, including pizza. But it’s the actual Music Hall where the magic happens. And Tristan Bernays adaptation of the story of Frankenstein, with direction by Eleanor Rhode, is the perfect show for this venue. Shadows, high ceilings, and elevated sound all contribute to the eerieness of the performances and subject matter. Go see it now because Fletcher, fresh from graduating from the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, is one to watch!

    Frankenstein continues it’s run until March 18, 2017. To buy tickets, go to:

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  • Horrific glass attack on two boyfriends in London

    Two boyfriends, who were holding hands in a pub in Peckham, London were subjected to a horrific glass attack. Leaving one of them needing hospital treatment.

     

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  • RESTAURANT REVIEW | BabaBoom

    RESTAURANT REVIEW | BabaBoom

    ★★★★ | BabaBoom

     

    BabaBoom is the perfect restaurant in an area of London that shall, and will, embrace it.

    It’s a cozy, warm and petite place which serves food a bit different from the nearby Brewdog, Coté Brasserie, and The Breakfast Club restaurants. And the food at BabaBoom is really really good.

    Two can dine here easily for less than £50. And while the menu is quite small, the food on offer is varied, large, and delicious!

    On a cold and wet Sunday night me and my dining companion found BabaBoom very buzzing. Most of the 44 seats in this small restaurant were full – everyone from the staff to the customers to the cooks looked very very happy – which we noticed while we were led to the quieter back section where we enjoyed a new gastronomical experience.

    The Sweet Potato Tahini starter was superb! Served with a nicely charcoaled pita bread, along with beetroot, celery and fennel, it was a perfect dipping meal. The sweet potato gave this hummus-like dish new life – I can’t recommend it more. My dining companion had the Rose Harissa Labneh starter, which also came with the same vegetables and pita bread, yet the labneh was topped with chilli, unusual but it worked! But the best was yet to come.

    I had the Rotisserie Lamb Shoulder as my main course. And at £11.75 it was to die for! Served over a charcoaled pita, there was lots of succulent and tender lamb, along with a large helping of cole slaw, and a huge tasty cooked onion. I enjoyed every bite, though it was almost too big to eat as a sandwich. My dining companion had the Saffron & Orange Chicken Shish, as a salad, very colorful and served on a large plate. It came with the aforementioned coleslaw along with red peppers, and extremely tasty crispy flatbread. Though he felt the chicken tasted a bit plain, sauces were served with it to add to the flavor. Still a great deal at £9.25. Other kebabs on the menu include goat, short rib and falafel – something for everyone!

    Just so that we can taste more of the menu we ordered a few sides. I can’t explain how delicious the Dukkah Fries were! Small and crispy, and cooked with 25 spices (!!!!) which gave the fries a fabulous kick – different, again, but worked so well! Also recommended is the Harissa Roasted Squash Tabbouleh and the Smashed Aubergine with Pomegranate and Tahini. And to top it off, each side is only £3.50 or 2 for £6.00. An excellent bargain.

    BabaBoom calls itself a charcoal kebab kitchen, and that’s exactly what it is, and more. And more is what you get. They also serve brunch! Chose from teas to unlimited coffee and juices, to a boozy brunch with bloody mary’s and mimosas and margaritas (I had one with dinner and it was slush good fun!). For brunch you can choose from a Meat Kebab (sausage, date glazed bacon, tomato, 2 friend eggs & labneh) to a Veggie Kebab to a dish called the Ultrarunner (2 soft poached eggs, labneh, tabbouleh, fattoush salad & flatbread), to and including Eggy Bread (basically french toast)! Yum Yum!

    BabaBoom combines middle eastern flavours with quality British produce to deliver outstanding meals at very affordable prices. And well worth a trip to Battersea.

    Telephone: 07809903181

    http://www.bababoom.london

    Email: Hello@bababoom.london
    Twitter: @BababoomLondon
    Address: 30 Battersea Rise SW11 1EE

    Opening hours:

    MON 06:00PM – 10:00PM
    TUE 11:45AM – 10:00PM
    WED 11:45AM – 10:30PM
    THU 11:45AM – 10:30PM
    FRI 11:45AM – 11:30PM
    SAT 10:30AM – 11:30PM
    SUN 10:30AM – 10:00PM

    BRUNCH: Saturday & Sunday 10:30AM-3:00PM

  • Schoolboy found dead just weeks after video about bullying because he was gay

    A 14-year-old schoolboy has been found dead just weeks after he released a video revealing he was gay and that he had been bullied for being gay.

    CREDIT: © tomwang Depositphotos

    Liam McAlpine from Fife in Scotland was found dead at his home on Sunday afternoon. He was just 14. Before his death he had recorded and published a number of videos on YouTube about being gay and the bullying he had been a victim of.

    In his first video, Liam spoke about coming out and speculated that he would be ridiculed for being gay from some of his classmates.

    In his coming out video he said,

    “For three years I have been gay, go ahead and judge me, I don’t care… My true friends will stick by me, fake friends, will just f**k off and leave me behind… That’s who I am, I’m proud to be gay”.

    In a second video entitled “Bullying” he gave a heartbreaking speech urging those who are bullied to reach out to “someone who could help you… friends, teachers – someone who can help you through the situation, even a police officer”.

    He said, “You don’t go to school to get bullied everyday. You go to learn. School is meant to be a safe place but getting bullied everyday and picked on, is that really safe?”

     

    Liam was publishing videos as recently as last week.

    The Daily Record is suggesting that there is wide-spread speculation that he took his own life. The police are treating his death as “unexplained”.

    A Police Scotland spokesperson said,

    “Police in Fife are investigating following the death of a 14-year-old boy at an address in Elgin Drive, Glenrothes .

    “The incident was reported to police around 3.40pm on Sunday, March 5.

    “The death is currently being treated as unexplained and enquiries are ongoing.

    “A report has been sent to the Procurator Fiscal.”

    If you are affected by this story or you’d like to talk to someone please call Switchboard on 0330 330 0630 or Samaritans on 116 123.

  • University bans the word Homosexual

    University bans the word Homosexual

    Cardiff Metropolitan university has issued its staff and students with guidance banning the word “homosexual”.

    Gay Couple © wtamas Depositphotos

    The Cardiff Metropolitan University has told its 1,200 staff and over 11,000 students that the word homosexual should no longer be used and that lesbian and gay relationships should be referred to as “same-sex” or “other-sex” relationships.

    It has said that it wishes to “raise awareness amongst staff and students of the importance of using appropriate language”.

    In the code of practice, it says that homosexual seems, “laden with with the values of a previous time” and calls on faculty and students to dump other terms like “husband” and “wife”, and use “partner” instead.

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    The university, which turns over £98,000,000 a year said that, “Complaints about the excesses of so-called ‘political correctness’ and their impact on organisational cultures are not new,”

    “For Cardiff Met, though, academic freedom and the celebration of diversity are cornerstones of University life – and are entirely compatible with each other.

    “The University has a joined-up approach to providing a positive working environment, free from discrimination, harassment and victimisation.

    “As part of this approach, the University has a Code of Practice on Using Inclusive Language, which sets out to promote fairness and equality by raising awareness about the effects of potentially discriminatory vocabulary.

    “It makes suggestions for the avoidance of inappropriate generalisations and provides some illustrative examples of gender-laden vocabulary with some neutral alternatives.”

    Editor of THEGAYUK Jake Hook said,

    “Although I commend Cardiff Metropolitan University for being thoughtful on the power of words and their meanings, I do wonder what consultation process this code was subjected to. There have been many times where the word homosexual has been used as an empowering term and has a rich history of a statement of intent or empowerment.

    “I would rather a conversation about language rather than an outright ban or policing of words, especially when some may wish to use those words for themselves”.

  • World War 2 gay love story YANK! to set hearts racing

    World War 2 gay love story YANK! to set hearts racing

    When you think of the Wartime romances, the stories of gay veterans is often overlooked. The musical Yank! is about to set that right.

    Yank! The Musical
    CREDIT: Yank!

    YANK! is a moving gay love story set in World War Two, is told through a MGM-style musical. The focus is Stu, a scared Mid-Western young soldier in the US Army in 1943. He becomes a photographer for Yank Magazine, the journal ‘for and by the servicemen’. He finds himself in a world at war asking himself what it means to be a man. He also happens to fall in love, with Mitch, a fellow soldier.

    During a time of extreme prejudice, you only have to look at how the Government of the day treated code-breaker Alan Turing for evidence of that, the two men must fight against the odds to stay alive and stay in love.

    The musical opens at the Hope Mill Theatre in London from 9th March until the 8th April, tickets are on sale now.

    Yank! will be directed by James Baker, and co-produced with Ben Millerman from Mr Millerman Presents. Completing the creative team for YANK! are James Cleeve as musical director; choreographer Chris Cuming; designer Victoria Hinton; lighting designer Aaron J. Dootson; sound designer Chris Bogg; and casting director Ben Newsome.

    YANK! is the first in a hat-trick of productions for 2017 through a proven partnership between Aria Entertainment and the award-winning Hope Mill Theatre. They first joined forces in January 2016 to spearhead the arts venue as a platform to showcase, revive and bring new musical theatre to the North.

    Aria Entertainment’s Producer and Company Director Katy Lipson commented,

    “We are delighted to be opening our 2017 season with the European Premiere of the beautiful new musical YANK! I discovered YANK! almost three years ago and, after starting to collaborate with Hope Mill Theatre in 2016, I knew it was the perfect venue for its premiere – and that James Baker who directed Parade last year would also be the right director for production. We are extremely excited with all we have planned for 2017 and beyond.”

    Find out more from the show by checking out their Twitter

  • Police are looking for four men in connection to assault on two boyfriends

    Police are looking for four men in connection to assault on two boyfriends

    British Transport Police is searching for four men in connection with an assault in which two boyfriends were attacked.

    British Transport Police would like to make a connection with four men after two boyfriends reported that they were attacked on a train in London. The incident happened at around 1.05am on 15 February on the Reading to London Paddington service, just before the train stopped at Ealing Broadway.

    The victims, a 35-year-old man and a 26-year-old man were travelling home following a night out for Valentine’s Day. They both fell asleep and missed their stop. When they woke up, as the train was approaching Ealing Broadway, they found they were being attacked.

    Police say a group of men were punching and kicking them repeatedly.

    The victims attempted to get away but the offenders followed and continued to attack them during a prolonged assault.

    Investigating officer, PC Peter Taylor, said,

    “This was a very nasty assault committed by a group of men who attacked two other men while they were sleeping on the train. The victims believe the motivation for the attack was that the offenders thought they were gay.

    “Hate crime such as this will absolutely not be tolerated by British Transport Police. I would like to speak to anyone who recognises the men shown in the CCTV images as they may have information which could help with the investigation.

    “If you recognise them or have any other information about the incident, please contact me by calling 0800 40 50 40 or text information to 61016 quoting reference number 30 15/2/17.”

     

     

  • Absence of gay sex ed by Government continues to cement “stigma, self-doubt, confusion and bullying”

    The government has announced plans to make sex education compulsory in all schools in England, however, they’ve failed to mention LGBT+ issues which critics say is letting LGBT+ children down across the country.

    CREDIT: © tomwang Depositphotos

    The UK’s Government has announced plans to ensure that sex and relationship education is made compulsory in all schools across England, however it neglected to say whether LGBT+ relationships would be covered by any classes.

    Education Secretary Justine Greening said that children from the age of four would be taught about safe and healthy relationships.

    David Geary, Head of Political Engagement Pride in London said that the absence of LGBT+ specifics was cementing stigma and bullying into school culture by not tackling those issues.

    He said,

    “Today’s announcement that age-appropriate sex and relationships education (SRE) will become compulsory in every school, is a welcome step in the right direction. The first major shakeup in more than 15 years will empower teachers to promote positive discussions on such a critical area and ensure teenagers don’t learn poor habits or behaviours from online sources.

    “Healthy sex and relationship education cannot be wholly effective until it helps every pupil in the classroom. In continuing to separate, single out and ignore the needs of LGBT+ pupils, the government is helping to cement stigma, self-doubt, confusion and bullying.

    “Such an omission lets down pupils right across the country, who need effective and positive support to develop into the healthy, confident and safe LGBT+ adults they deserve to be. Parents too benefit from having such a support as they learn to be the best guardian they can be for their LGBT+ child”.

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    The Government has not mandated how these lessons will be delivered and parents will still have the right to remove their children from the classes.

    The number of sexually transmitted infections amongst the UK’s gay and bisexual teenagers and young adults has soared in recent years and Public Health England warned in 2016 that 36% of new infections in 2015 were found in those aged just 15 to 24, the highest increase in a single age group.

    Politicians across the political spectrum have signed up to a pledge which calls for the inclusion of same-sex relationship education in all London schools to ensure the representation of different families and communities within SRE.