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Cock Robin and his very merry men: Dome Studio: Review

Brian Ralfe’s traditional adult panto plays the Studio Theatre at the Dome until February 4.

Cock Robin

Exactly how many cocks can you squeeze into one show?

The writers managed to squeeze a fair number into this production of Cock Robin and his very merry men at the Studio Theatre, Brighton Dome on Tuesday night.

I lost count of the number of cocks but the opening gag on Brian Ralfe’s sandwich board set the tone for the evening: It read: “I don’t need to have sex. The Greens fuck me every day.”

Best described as a traditional panto with loads of naughty word and double entendres, this show had it all!

“Oh no it didn’t, Oh yes it did” I can hear you scream!

It certainly did but on opening night it seemed much of it was in the wrong order. At times it was so bad it was hysterically funny with the performers handling the technical gaffs brilliantly and it seemed, making much of it up as they went along.

Maybe it was first night nerves but despite the individual performances being very strong, at times it appeared as though the company were performing in different shows on the same stage. The result was very funny.

Phil Harlequeen’s as nurse forms the backbone of the show but sadly Lee Tracy’s Maid Marion gags at times were lost due to the dodgy sound system. Friends who saw the show after me report the sound problems have now been sorted out.

Simon Grant is an innocent and convincing Cock Robin while Chris Howard as the Sheriff has a very fine singing voice and managed to get the audience booing effectively each time he came on.

Scott Virgo as Will Scarlet brings a bit of glamour to the proceeding and has lovely muscles. Mark Yarrow who had just 4 days to learn the role was a fine, bubbly and eager Little John.

Wesley Sebastian playing the fairy was oh so disciplined and his Lisa Minelli and Tina Turner impersonations were among the highlights of the evening.

Musical Director Laurence Knight held everyone together effectively and musically the show was very tight.

First night problems apart the show after a few performances will be well worth checking out.

Tickets are £19 and can be booked on 01273 709 709

 

 

 

 

Robin Cousin’s ICE: Brighton Centre: Review

ICE, a new show created by Robin Cousins, opened at the Brighton Centre this week.

Robin Cousins ICE

 

For most of the last 30 years Robin Cousins has been involved with Holiday on Ice productions as performer, choreographer and director. The Holiday on Ice formulae is well tested with regimented lines of skaters, camp costumes and fireworks in the trade mark finales.

Surely, no ICE show would be the same without “The Wheel”?  In this new production Robin leaves all that behind and gives us a beautifully choreographed, balletic feast performed by a cast of international skaters of the very highest quality. He moulds together a fine musical score with lovely inventive dance movements.

There are few straight lines in this production it is all about positions, shapes and flowing arms. At times I thought I was watching a Martha Graham dance event. Robin Says ICE has been 40 years in planning and with the success of Dancing on Ice he will hopefully attract a new audience that can fully appreciate the finer points of this show.

Music supervisor Maurice Luttikhuis does a great job with the musical score. His arrangement of Bridge Over Troubled Water is pure genius as is the Swingtime Section and Finale. However, for me personally the opening Winterscape section was too long and affected the balance of the first half of the show.

The cast of fourteen hand picked skaters are all soloists in their own right and each bring their own special talents to the company. However, special mention must go to Michael Solonski who sings live to a lost love while skating and performing double axels. His performance mesmorised the audience and had the hair standing up on the back of my neck. Vaughn Chipeur landed all his back somersaults with ease while Kate Endriulaitis’ gymnastic performance on a ring suspended above the rink was very impressive.

The innovative lighting scheme by Tim Mitchell is on the money. The set is designed by David Shields who is also responsible for the flowing costume designs.

ICE is completely different from recent productions Robin Cousins has been involved with. It is beautiful to watch and I can highly recommend it for lovers of skating and lovers of dance.

WHAT: Robin Cousin’s ICE

WHERE: The Brighton Centre (and on tour)

WHEN: January 22 – February 2

TICKETS: £22.50 – £42.50

MORE INFO: CLICK HERE:

 

 

Torvill & Dean to skate Bolero in Sarajevo

Skating legends Torvill & Dean return to Sarajevo on February 13, 2014 to perform their breath-taking Bolero routine – 30 years on from their historic gold medal-winning performance at the 1984 Winter Olympics.

Torvill and Dean
Torvill and Dean

Following a joint invitation from the Mayors of Sarajevo and East Sarajevo to visit the city to mark the 30th anniversary of their celebrated victory, Torvill & Dean will travel to Sarajevo for this performance in the same stadium where they won their Olympic Gold medals on St Valentine’s Day 1984.

The stadium, which was originally called the Olympic Hall Zetra, was destroyed in the 1992-95 Bosnian war. It was rebuilt in 1999 and renamed Olympic Hall Juan Antonio Samaranch, after the former President of the International Olympic Committee.

Torvill & Dean have invited a British team of junior and senior figure skaters to skate as part of this unique anniversary event on the evening of February 13. They hope this performance will inspire a future generation of skaters to take up this great sport.

The squad of eight talented youngsters from the National Ice Skating Association’s (NISA) Performance and Development Squads includes British Junior Men’s champion Graham Newberry, Junior Dance champions Olivia Smart and Joseph Buckland and Junior Pairs champions Molly Lanaghan and Jake Astill.

Also travelling to Sarajevo are Basic Novice Dance champions Mia Jowitt and Peter Beaumont and Junior Ladies skater Danielle Harrison – the youngest members of the squad at just 13 years old.

Money raised from the performance will be used in Sarajevo to build a permanent ice rink, ahead of the 2017 European Youth Winter Olympic Festival.

Jayne and Chris said: “We are delighted to be invited back to Sarajevo by the Mayors. It will be an emotional day for us and one which we are very much looking forward to. To return to the place which provided such a life-changing moment for us will be an exciting and rewarding way to mark the 30th anniversary. We will be taking a squad of talented young skaters with us to Sarajevo — a place which is very significant to us. We hope this will inspire them to become the next Olympic champions in such a wonderful sport.”

Nick Sellwood, chief executive of UK Skating’s National Governing Body, NISA, said: “We are honoured to be a part of this unique event celebrating the 30th anniversary of Torvill & Dean’s legendary Bolero routine in Sarajevo. It will be a once in a lifetime opportunity for our Junior skaters to perform in a historic event on the very spot where the last UK Winter Olympic figure skating gold medal was won in 1984.”

Torvill & Dean: The Perfect Day airs on BBC2 at 9pm on Friday, February 7, 2014. In this hour long documentary, Jayne and Chris recall the events leading up to their gold winning performance at the Winter Olympics on February 14, 1984, which had a UK television audience of 24 million people on the edge of their seats and became one of the most iconic sporting moments of the 20th Century.

The ninth and final series of Torvill & Dean’s Dancing on Ice is currently on ITV on Sunday nights.

The final Dancing on Ice UK tour opens in Manchester on March 28 and runs until April 27.

For more information CLICK HERE: 

Nominations open for Pride 2014 Ambassadors

Do you want to be a Pride Ambassador in 2014 and represent your community at the front of the Pride Parade?

Pride Ambassadors 2013

Following the outstanding success of the Pride Ambassadors Program in 2013, nominations have opened today for electing Ambassadors for 2014 to help deliver the Pride umbrella theme of Freedom to live.

Last years Pride Ambassadors were:

• Danny Dwyer: founder of Bear Patrol and fundraiser for the Sussex Beacon

• Helen Marie Carter: an outspoken trans woman and published author and playwright

• Dorrett Agoreyo: a legal assistant and member of the BME community

• George Montague affectionally knows as the ‘Oldest Gay in the Village’ who represented the older people in the LGBT community in Brighton and Hove.

If you want to nominate someone who you thinks goes the extra mile to help LGBT people or is someone you want to see represent the LGBT community at the front of the Pride Parade send an email to: info@gscene.com give the name of the person and say why you have nominated them.

Whoever receives the highest number of nominations in each of the next four months will be appointed a Pride Ambassador for 2014.

The first Pride Ambassador will be announced in April Gscene.

The Pride Ambassador’s program is sponsored and administered by Gscene Magazine.

EMAIL your nominations to: 

 

 

 

 

Kemptown MP Kirby calls for policing precept freeze in Sussex

Simon Kirby, MP for Brighton Kemptown and Peacehaven, has urged the Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner Katy Bourne to take advantage of Government funding to freeze the policing precept for 2014/15.

Simon Kirby MP
Simon Kirby MP

Simon said: “The Government is doing all it can to help people with the cost of living, for instance by lifting 2.4 million of the lowest earners out of income tax altogether, reducing the average taxpayers bill by £700 and cutting fuel duty. It is also investing in the pupil premium and increasing spending on the NHS, whilst reducing the biggest peace-time deficit in a hundred years. Additionally the Government is offering funding to organisations to freeze Council Tax.”

He added: “The police here in Sussex do a great job but there is always room for greater efficiency. At a time when households and businesses are cutting their costs, I believe the Commissioner should be looking to further reduce waste and inefficiency rather than increasing the precept for Sussex residents.”

Simon has also launched a survey of residents in the East Saltdean, Telscombe Cliffs and Peacehaven, seeking their views on levels of Council Tax in the area.

Residents who want to fill out the survey CLICK HERE:  

Simon concluded saying: “I am keen to hear what my constituents living in East Saltdean, Telscombe Cliffs and Peacehaven feel about the levels of Council Tax and I hope many people will take the time to give me their views. I have consistently called for a Council Tax freeze in 2014/15.”

Terrence Higgins Trust Brighton thanks Subline for donation

Terrence HIggins Trust

“Terrence Higgins Trust Brighton would like to say a huge thank you to all the staff and customers of Subline for their kind donation of £527.94 raised from their festive draw.

Ross Bosely
Ross Bosely

“Prizes were donated from Subline, Smokey’s, the Camleford Arms, The Chilli Pickle, The Brighton Sauna, H. T Whites, Nice n Naughty and Tim.

“The funds raised will support our local HIV support and prevention services.

“Thank you again for continued support it really is appreciated.”

Ross Boseley, Health promotion coordinator : Community engagement & outreach

 

‘Time to Talk Day’ in February with MindOut

MindOut are encouraging people to chat with their volunteers about living with mental health issues on Time to Talk Day, February 6.

MindOut

The charity is offering free tea and cake as an incentive and will provide attendees with the opportunity to have a taster of their online support service.

The event is part of Time to Change’s national campaign to end the stigma and discrimination of mental health. The day will see hundreds of organisations across England running events to start around one million conversations about mental health.

MindOut’s contribution to this national event will be held on a first come, first served basis at LoveFit Café on Queens Road (near Brighton station) from 2pm to 6pm.

Helen Jones
Helen Jones

Helen Jones, MindOut Director, said: “It’s a great opportunity to be part of a huge national drive to address the stigma surrounding mental health and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities.”

She continued: “Stigma stops people from seeking support and talking about their experiences. It makes mental health issues worse than they need be.”

For more information on Time To Change’s national campaign CLICK HERE: 

 

Help to protect the coastline for the next 100 years

Brighton & Hove City Council’s Environment, Transport and Sustainability Committee are hoping that local residents will play a key role in shaping the city’s coastal defences for the next 100 years.

Brighton Council

In response to the threat of climate change, rising sea levels and stormy weather, all of which affect the local coastline and add to the risk of flooding and erosion, Brighton & Hove City Council has joined forces with Adur & Worthing Councils, Shoreham Port Authority and the Brighton Marina Company to produce a plan for the next 100 years.

A spokesperson for Shoreham Port Authority said: “We are delighted to be working closely with our neighbours to ensure the safety of the whole city. This is a vital initiative.”

The proposed strategy first divided the stretch of coastline into three areas. Officers have then looked into a wide range of options for each section, including a consideration of the potential problems.

For each area, one option has been highlighted as the preferred course of action over the 100 year life of the strategy.

For Brighton Marina, the report has proposed increasing the height of the inner harbour wall. While for the open coast between Brighton Marina and the River Adur the strategy includes enlarging some groynes to create bigger beaches, to ensure the city is adequately protected from sea level rise and the worst effects of storms at sea.

Brighton Council Cllr Pete West

Councilor Pete West, chair of Brighton & City Council’s Environment, Transport and Sustainability Committee, said: “The recent heavy rainfall, storms and widespread flooding have highlighted the need for us to look at how we can best protect our coastline.”

He added: “I would urge residents, particularly those living near the sea, to take part in the consultation and help us to develop a strategy which will ensure our coastline is protected for future generations.”

Once finalised, the strategy will be reported back to the Council’s Environment, Transport and Sustainability Committee for approval and then submitted to the Environment Agency for agreement.

The consultation will start on January 24 and run for 3 months until April 24. Throughout there will be touring, unmanned exhibitions.

Local venues for the exhibition are:

Hove Town Hall – January 31 to February 7

Brighton Jubilee Library – February 17 to February 23

King Alfred – February 3 to March 9

Adur Civic Centre – March 31 to April 7

 

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