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Speaking Volumes go live!

The Speaking Volumes project hosted a successful launch event at the Jubilee Library in Brighton on Monday, April 7.

Mayor Of Brighton & Hove

Speaking Volumes is a storytelling project that is working with HIV positive people from Sussex to enable them to share their stories and experiences of living with the virus. It is hoped that by hearing the stories the public will gain a greater understanding of the condition, reducing the stigma and mis-information that still abounds.

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The evening started with a rendition of Something Inside So Strong, by the Brighton Goes Gospel (BGG) choir which was followed by an introduction from the Mayor of Brighton and Hove, Councillor Denise Cobb.

Speeches followed from the Project Director, Alice Booth who explained how the idea for the project had come about from the Human Library events where people share their stories one to one with visitors. She discussed how Speaking Volumes builds on this idea, and makes it accessible to people living with HIV who wish to share their stories and still remain anonymous, whilst also giving longevity to the project through the ongoing display of books and the website.

Caroline Lucas, MP for Brighton Pavilion
Caroline Lucas, MP for Brighton Pavilion

Brighton’s Green MP, Caroline Lucas was also present and gave an eloquent speech about the positive work being done in the city to raise awareness about HIV, but maintaining there is still more that needs to be done. She said she hopes to work with Alice to bring the shelf of Speaking Volumes stories to Parliament.

Guests were then treated to another song from BGG, as the mayor cut the ribbon on the shelf, and they then had the opportunity to listened to fifteen diverse stories about what it’s like to live with HIV in 2014.

The Speaking Volumes exhibition is on display at the Jubilee Library in Brighton until June 8.

To listen to all the stories on the website, CLICK HERE:

Speaking Volumes

 

Brighton Gay Men’s Chorus sing with Russell Watson tonight

Brighton Gay Men’s Chorus (BGMC) are to reunite with best-selling British tenor Russell Watson at Brighton Dome tonight.

Brighton Gay Men's Chorus
Brighton Gay Men’s Chorus

The chorus first met Russell during the BBC show Last Choir Standing. Russell who was a judge, famously fought to keep the Chorus in the game as they competed against acclaimed welsh male choir Only Men Aloud who went on to win the show.

Russell said: “If the guys want to come and join me we’ll do a number on stage together… I’m absolutely serious, that would be fantastic.”

Adam Betteridge, a trustee for Brighton Gay Men’s Chorus, said: “Last Choir Standing was a turning point in our development as a choir and as a charity. I’m sure I am not alone in remembering back then how moving it was to hear Russell so passionately fight to keep our Chorus in the competition. I could hardly believe my ears when I got the call telling me that he had personally asked for us to join him on stage at the Brighton Dome!”

For more information about Russell Watson’s concert, CLICK HERE: 

For your diary:

The choirs next show Brighton Gay Men’s Chorus: Nautical But Nice will take place as part of the Brighton Fringe Festival on May 2 & 3 at St George’s Church in Kemptown, Brighton. They will be helping raise funds for the local Brighton branch of the RNLI, and Worthing based charity Wolfram Syndrome UK.

The Chorus will be holding its annual Jamboree – offering fun, games and home-baked cakes – at the Brighton Tavern on Saturday April 19 between 11am and 3pm. Everyone is welcome!

If you are considering joining BGMC, they are always interested in hearing from prospective new members. Email Tom:

 

REVIEW: Endgame: Emporium

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Endgame is the bleakest of black comedies, a post-apocalyptic nightmare in which a domestic tyrant presides over his obedient son and his hapless parents – both of whom live in barrels whose sawdust isn’t changed as often as is hygienic. The outside world – ‘the other hell‘ – is a place without Turkish Delight, bicycles or dogs and even the tides have disappeared. The four characters spend their time telling stories, bickering, winning minor battles against each other whilst losing some terrible war.

James Weisz‘s production is faultless: from its atmospheric bomb-site set, to its magnificent costumes in which one character’s wardrobe seems to embody three centuries of decaying English fashion. At the play’s centre is a truly heroic performance from Mike Goodenough as Hamm. Capricious in his seemingly random cruelties, self-pitying, given to tantrums that would shame a child, he’s an incredible creation and it’s hard to imagine it being done better than this imperious, scene-stealing star turn. That’s not to denigrate Goodenough, for it seems that an actor playing Hamm who doesn’t command your entire attention with the merest sigh probably isn’t doing the part justice. As the character’s name implies, he’s a consummate old-school actor and it’s been a fair while since I’ve seen such a purely theatrical and entertaining performance.

Duncan Drury is excellent as Clov, the put-upon son who does his father’s bidding without knowing why. Rory McCallum and Bridget Mastrocola both manage to be pitiable, grotesque and disarmingly funny as the barrel-bound parents.

This is a truly outstanding production of a difficult play. I have to confess that while most of the play was absolutely compelling, some parts were too abstruse or gave the feeling that the characters were treading water and occasionally my attention began to wander. But then I experience these lapses of attention during Waiting for Godot so it’s either something to do with Beckett, or just my reaction to his writing.

A theatrical cliche but I think Hamm would approve: this Endgame is an absolute triumph. If you want to see a genuinely first-rate production of Beckett you have until May 10 to get down to Emporium.

Continues at Emporium, 88 London Road, Brighton.

For more information and tickets click here.

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