December 2015 – Page 5 – Scene Magazine – From the heart of LGBTQ+ Life

Canadian media support LGBTQ Pride tape campaign

Posted on 18/12/2015 by Gary Hart

“These 6 Colours Can Change the Hockey World”.

Pride Tape was unveiled to the world today by the Institute for Sexual Minority Studies and Services at the University of Alberta (Faculty of Education).

The tape, inspired by the six colours of pride, is initially being manufactured for hockey, but will later be produced for other sports.

Speaking for the Institute, Kris Wells said: “This tape will be a badge of support from the hockey world to LGBTQ youth in Canada and other countries. It will say ‘You are welcome on the ice. Come and join us in our sport and be proud of who you are’.”

The level of support from Canada’s English language national media has been extraordinary. Every major television network in Canada is donating national air time to help make the tape a reality.

Kris continued: “The media are, in fact, saying to us – the time has come for the world of sport to change.”

When the tape is manufactured, profits from the sale will be split between the Institute and the You Can Play Project, which has played a leading role in combatting homophobia in sports.

Funding for the manufacture of Pride Tape will be raised through a Kickstarter campaigner.

To make a donation, click here:

Pride tape was created for the Institute by Calder Bateman, led by Creative Director Jeff McLean. A multi-media campaign is being launched today, December 18. In addition to Canada’s television broadcasters, NewAD is contributing space in restaurants and bars across Canada.

The television commercial was produced free of charge by Global, with the participation of Andrew Ference, alternate captain for the Edmonton Oilers and former captain of the Stanley Cup winning Boston Bruins.

10,000 rolls of tape will be manufactured in the first run. The Kickstarter campaign will allow for an initial free distribution of Pride Tape to local teams across Canada and beyond. The tape will also go on sale to the public.

Creative Director McLean has been immersed in hockey his entire life.

He said: “Unfortunately, all too often, sports remains a hold-out in creating a welcoming environment for LGBTQ youth. That’s why I feel so strongly about the ongoing relationship we have with the Faculty of Education and the Institute, including other projects like NoHomophobes.com, which has captured so much positive attention all over the world.”

Dr. Wells spoke of the Faculty’s appreciation for the way the corporate community and media have embraced the Pride Tape project.

He said: “It’s going to be fascinating to see how the hockey world responds.

“To us, success will mean that every young LGBTQ person can feel confident they will be welcome in sports environments – as players, spectators and fans.”

For more information about the Pride Tape campaign, click here:

Brighton Kemptown MP thanks postal workers

Posted on 18/12/2015 by Sarah Green

Simon Kirby, the MP for Brighton Kemptown and Peacehaven, visits Royal Mail’s Peacehaven Delivery Office to pass on Xmas greetings to postmen and women at their busiest time of year.

Mr Kirby was shown round the office this morning, December 18, by Delivery Office Manager, Adrian Boxall, and introduced to postmen and women delivering mail in the Peacehaven area during the festive season.

Mr Kirby said: “There is a huge amount of effort and dedication that goes into delivering a first class Christmas at Royal Mail’s busiest time of year. It was great to meet the team here at Peacehaven.

“Our postal workers do such an important job at this time of year and I would like to thank them for their efforts and wish them all the best over the busy festive period.”

Adrian Boxall, Royal Mail Delivery Office Manager at Peacehaven, added: “Our postmen and women are working extremely hard to deliver Christmas cards, letters and parcels to people across Peacehaven. We are grateful that Simon visited the office to see our operation and to support the team.

“We’d like to remind our customers to post early so that friends and family have longer to enjoy their Christmas greetings. We would also like to ask everyone to please always use the postcode as this helps us greatly in the job that we do at this busy time.”

Festive social for disabled LGBT people

Posted on 17/12/201517/12/2015 by Graham Robson

An LGBT Disabled People’s group will be holding a festive meet-up tomorrow, December 18, 2015.

The meet-up will be from 3-5 pm at Charles Street on Marine Parade. All LGBT people with disabilities are welcome to go along for some festive cheer!

The area at the back of Charles Street, near the DJ decks has been reserved and the venue is accessible for wheelchairs and has an accessible toilet.

Take along photo ID if you are under 25.

There is a food menu if you would like to eat there.

The group, is supported by LGBT HIP, meets in accessible venues on an ad-hoc basis, and offers an opportunity for disabled people to socialise, discuss issues and share mutual support.

For more information, email:

Win a pair of tickets for ‘Holiday on Ice’

Posted on 17/12/201517/12/2015 by Contributor

Holiday on Ice returns to the UK for one week only in January 2016 with a new, spectacular show, PASSION.

Gscene magazine has three pair of tickets to give away to the lucky winners of our PASSION competition.

PASSION is an exciting entertainment experience focused around the lives of the show’s true stars, the skaters and runs at the Brighton Centre from Tuesday 5 to Sunday 10 January 10.

PASSION takes the audience through the journey that each skater experiences, from the passion of the ice to the ambition, challenges and beauty of this fascinating world, PASSION follows the true-life stories of the cast members, who every night bring the glamour of Holiday on Ice to life for audiences across the globe.

Featuring top class performers, breath-taking costumes, great music, a spectacular wheel and kick line and fireworks, PASSION will bring the true Holiday on Ice magic, which has been loved for over 70 years, back to Brighton once again in 2016.

Tickets are on sale priced from £15 for children and £22 for adults.

For more information or to book tickets, click here:

Or telephone the box office: 0844 847 1538.

Question: In what year was the first Holiday and Ice Show and in which city?

Email your answer with you full name address and telephone number to: info@gscene.com

Tickets are valid to see Holiday on Ice: PASSION at The Brighton Centre on Tuesday, January 5, 2016 at 8pm only. 1 pair of tickets per winner only. At least 1 adult must be present. No purchase necessary. Tickets are non-exchangeable. Closing date for entries is Monday, December 21, entries received after this date will not be counted. Winners will be required to collect their tickets from the Brighton Centre box office on the night of the show. Any travel and accommodation will not be included in the prize.

Preview: I Am Not Myself These Days

Posted on 17/12/201510/01/2016 by Paul Gustafson

The brutal, shocking and yet deeply moving one man show, I Am Not Myself These Days, comes to Brighton next February following its debut at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe.

The play, adapted from Josh Kilmer-Purcell’s bestselling autobiography, is a fast-paced, at times darkly humorous tale of love, self-destruction and personal discovery, set in the flashy, trashy New York of the 1990s.

It tells the story of Josh, a successful advertising art director by day who at night transforms into Aquadisiac, an alcoholic drag queen desperately trying to make her relationship work with Jack, a high-class rent boy addicted to crack.

The show has been described as heartbreaking, gripping, and profoundly affecting, with a breathtakingly physical, central performance from Tom Stuart, who also adapted Kilmer-Purcell’s memoir for the stage.

Stuart writes: “It’s such an incredibly honest, open and engaging book. I wanted to see if I could extend that honesty to the stage and make an audience feel how I felt reading the book alone in my bed. I like to think of it as a love story, albeit an unconventional one. Although set in a specific time and place, I think most people will be able to relate to and recognise something of themselves in it, whatever their background or circumstances.”

Event: I Am Not Myself These Days

Where: Brighton Dome Studio Theatre

When: Saturday, February 13

Time: 7.30pm

Tickets: £12/£10 concessions

To book tickets, click here:

REVIEW: Scrooge Inspired: Spire

Posted on 17/12/201520/12/2015 by Eric Page

Step inside this cold candle lit church and you are transported to Scrooge and Marley’s office, its smoky crepuscular interior inhabited by the miserly frigid proprietor himself scratching away at his desk while poor Bob Cratchet works away and shivers in the cold.

Welcome to A Christmas Carol at The Spire

This fully immersive performance of Dickens’ A Christmas Carol begins as soon as you turn into the candlelit venue, a former church now a pretty cool arts venue run by the Pink Fringe lot. You are greeted with carols singers, smoke, snow and a lovely sense of stepping back into a Victorian street.

Marley’s Ghost, the first great supernatural entrance in the plot was superb, his entrance was spooky, ethereal, funny, with just the right amount of chills and the effective use of smoke machine, excellent imaginative lighting, sound scapes and very good costume conspire to transform the Spire into a slice of Victorian London with Marley rattling his chains at a wonderfully freaked out Scrooge.
The cast chop and change and the pacing of the narrative is a hop, skip and festive jump but the tensions builds, as it must, to the inevitable happy conclusion and even though we know the ending well, the chills, warning and potential grief is handled well, the callousness of Scrooges own death and the abject distress at the grave of Tiny Tim were both touching moments that pulled some seriously good acting out of the crew.

The acting was very good, from all the cast, young and old. Convincing, touching with just the amount of mugging and engagement with the audience. The technical crew, particularly the sound and lighting were excellent and managed on some very limited technology to convince of the shivery supernatural edge that’s so essential to the story. The fade in and out of the ghosts was very very well done indeed. I was impressed with the lighting design and the director Gary Sefton (who also takes the title role in this production) has obviously given a lot of thought to using the wonderfully festive space of the Spire itself, you couldn’t really ask for a more Christmasy venue than this mock Gothic church with high stained glass, pews, organ pipes, Gothic arched doorways and looming dark corners.

I’ve seen a lot of Christmas and festive stuff the last two weeks, from Kew Gardens to the opera but last night at the Spire I felt the spirit of Christmas descend most properly, settling on us like glittering silent snow and the cast and technical crew managed to create a beguiling, charming and touching immersive Christmas experience which lived up to Dickens idea of tradition, tipped its Christmassy hat to modern life and leaned hard and fast into the cold commercial frosty face of Christmas and blew it a little warm life affirming kiss.

See more info on the cast here

My companion thought it very lovely, was touched by Tiny Tim and the ambiance generated by the church and spicy hot mulled wine and we both left feeling most festive indeed.

This is my Christmas Show tip! Take the kids, take the boyfriend, take the girlfriend, take the in-laws or out-laws, take the neighbor as it’s Xmas, but dress up warm, munch a home-made mince pie and warm your hands and heart on mulled wine, sit back and immerse yourself in this wonderfully evocative performance in the round of the ultimate story of festive redemption.

Dress up warm though the church is cold, which I thought added another convincing Victorian sense of miserly chill to the drama and please don’t be a scrooge, get up and dance when they want you to, it’s well well worth it, where else can you reel and spin down the aisle this season?

A Christmas Carol at The Spire
16-24 Dec (not 20 Dec), 6pm & 8.15pm
Tickets from £6.

Excellent. With a bus stop right outside the venue

Recommended

For more info or to book tickets see the website here.

Rainbow families needed for documentary

Posted on 17/12/2015 by Graham Robson

LGBT parents and their children needed for Brighton Rainbow Families documentary.

Rainbow Families are holding a family day at Jubilee Library on February 20, 2016 from 10-2pm to celebrate LGBT History month.

As part of the day Georgia Rooney, head of production at MWP Digital Media will be filming a documentary about the history of Rainbow Families and what makes a Rainbow family extraordinary.

She is looking for anyone who was involved in Rainbow Families Brighton in the past or any Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender (LGBT) families who would like to share their experience of being an LGBT family.

This could be a great opportunity to gain visibility, share stories and be part of a unique history project for any LGBT families who would like to get involved

For more details email: kathryn@rainbowfamilies.org.uk

Rainbow Families is an informal social group for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) parents and their children in Brighton & Hove, Sussex and surrounding areas. Membership is open to all LGBT parents, prospective parents and their children.

They are a non-profit organisation and membership is free.

They aim to create a friendly, inclusive space for parents and their children. Some of their families are led by single parents or carers, some have two mums, or two dads, or both, but whoever is included in the family everyone is welcome at Rainbow Families.

They run monthly family events such as softplay sessions, farm visits and picnics and have an annual summer camping trip and visits to Brighton Pride.

They hold regular adult social meetings in Brighton & Hove and are extending their events for older kids this year.

Rainbow Families have an active volunteer committee and new members are always welcome.

For more information about Rainbow Families, click here:

Final Trans Swimming session in 2015

Posted on 17/12/2015 by Graham Robson

The final Trans Swimming session for 2015 will take place at St. Luke’s Swimming Pool on Wednesday, December 23 from 8.20-9.20pm.

Trans swimming sessions commenced in Brighton in February 2014, as a result of the Trans Equality Scrutiny organised by members of the Trans Alliance, BHCC Sports Development Team, Active for Life and a group of volunteers from the community.

Bi-weekly sessions during 2016 will recommence from Wednesday, January 6.

What was originally arranged as a ten week pilot scheme has been extended indefinitely.

The sessions will keep running as long as there is demand – so if your Trans and want to swim make sure to support them as regularly as possible.

The sessions will only continue if they are supported!

Event: Trans Swimming Sessions

Where: St Lukes Swimming Pool, St Luke’s Terrace, Brighton, BN2 9ZE

When: Wednesday, December 23:

Dates for 2016 are: 06/01, 20/01, 03/02, 17/02, 02/03, 16/03, 30/03, 13/04, 27/04.

Cost: £4.75 or £2.55 concession.

For more information, click here:

From Boom Boom Boom to Buttucks and Snow White!

Posted on 16/12/2015 by Graham Robson

Scottish recording artist Allan Jay releases new single Boom Boom Boom and is set to appear as Buttucks in Sinderfella, the adult panto here in Brighton.

Allan has been busy making a name for himself on the club/dance music scene. Two years ago he signed a deal with Energise Records to be part of their high Energy Dance Label, following in the footsteps of Nicki French, Hazel Dean, Pete Wilson, Sonia and probably most famously Sinitta.

He spent much of 2015 promoting his last single I go to pieces which achieved airplay in both Australia and Hong Kong and reached number 3 in the Italo NRG top 40 chart and number 4 in the Euro Dance Hits Chart.

Allan’s theatre credits include: The Boys in the Band (Theatre Royal Brighton) The Rock and Roll years (UK Tour), Boogie Wonderland (UK Tour), Diamond the Musical (Dome Theatre Brighton), A night at the musicals (UK Tour), 12 Tenors (European and American Tour) Uncle Eric and Auntie Madge (New Vic, Stoke), Cinderella (Gaiety Ayr), Chicago and Beyond (UK Tour), Aladdin (Motherwell Civic), Hold Tight its 80’s night (European Tour), Jack and the beanstalk (Theatre Royal Lincoln, Harlequin Theatre Redhill, The Broadway Theatre Catford and The Carriage works Leeds.) and Peter Pan (Kings Theatre Glasgow).

Along with theatre Allan has worked extensively as a dancer and choreographer with shows such as An Evening of Bollywood starring Sharokahn Kann, Chicago and Beyond, and Christmas at Wembley and most recently you could see him dancing on Channel 4’s ‘The last leg’.

This Christmas he is appearing for the biggest UK pantomime producers First Family Entertainment in their production Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs as Prince Lorenzo at the Kings Theatre Glasgow.

In February he will join the cast of the Alternative Panto, Sinderfella at the Sallis Benney Theatre here in Brighton, playing Buttucks.

Between performances in Snow White Allan answered a few questions for Gscene.

Tell us about your new single?
The new single is called Boom Boom Boom – Let’s go back to my room. It’s a cover of a Paul Lekakis hit in 1987. The song is about an openly gay man singing about going home at the end of the night with another man. It was very risky for its time. It’s a great track and when Energise suggested it I thought it was a great follow-up to I go to Pieces. With Mixes from Matt Pop and Stormby we have really brought this song into 2015 while keeping its original strong 80’s feel . It’s a fun, cheeky track which will get you dancing.

You recently performed at the LGBTI ICON Awards in Glasgow. Tell us about that.
Having only moved back to Glasgow in March after 14 years living in London it was a great privilege to be up for an ICON Award 2015. Then out of thousands of votes, to get to the top 3 for Entertainer of the year was incredible. Performing on the night was great it was a brilliant atmosphere and the crowd went wild when the boys and I performed. To be judged by Michelle Visage and Conchita Wurst was great and to meet them even better. Sadly I didn’t win but it was a great experience.

You are appearing in 2 Panto’s in the coming months. Tell us about those.
Oh no I’m not – sorry had to be done ……….. Yes this year I am playing Prince Lorenzo at the Kings Theatre Glasgow in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. It’s really exciting to be playing a lead role in my home city. I’m very excited about the production. I love the Kings Theatre and I’m looking forward to working with such a great cast. After that I am coming to Brighton for a slightly more adult Panto ‘Sinderfella’ at the Sallis Benney Theatre. The production is for adults only with a lot of naughty humour. For this Panto I will be playing Buttucks ha ha ha ha!

Who would you like to sing a duet with?
I have to say there a many people who I would absolutely love to duet with. Being with Energise Records I absolutely love the HiNRG dance music. For that reason I would love to record and perform with Danni Minogue.

What would be your dream gig?
I have been extremely lucky in my career performing at some amazing venues in amazing countries. From Reno in America where I performed at one of their famous casino’s alongside the likes of Joan Rivers to performing at awards ceremonies for the European Sports awards and Vodafone RLI Awards. But for me the biggest dream would be to represent the UK at Eurovision. Now that would be a dream come true!!!!!

What are your plans for the next 12 months?
Well firstly it’s all about promoting Boom Boom Boom – Lets Go Back To My Room. I hope your readers will get a copy of this brilliant track. Both pantomimes takes me to the middle of February then I will be working on my album which will be out around May 2016. So it’s exciting times ahead which I’m really looking forward to.

To download Boom Boom Boom, click here:

Allan plays Prince Lorenzo in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs at the Kings Theatre, Glasgow till January 11, 2016.

To book tickets online, click here:

Allan plays Buttucks in Sinderfella at the Sallis Benney Theatre, Brighton, from February 4, 2016 – February 14, 2016.

To book tickets online, click here:

Local TV presenter joins cast of Alternative Panto – The gayest show in town! –

Posted on 16/12/2015 by Graham Robson

TV presenter and broadcaster Mike Mendoza joins the line up of Sinderfella the Adult Panto at the Sallis Benny Theatre in February.

Mike will be playing the role of Lord Chamberlain when rehearsals start in January.

Final preparations for the Panto, led by the creative team of Quintin Young and Andrew Stark are well under way, and Musical Director Joe Paxton will be joining the company for the entire run. Joe teaches music at the University of Sussex where he is studying for a PhD researching musical communication and interpretation in ensemble performance and he is Music Director at St John’s Burgess Hill and conducts the Brighton Early Music Festival Community Choir.

Currently the all-star cast for Sinderfella are appearing in Panto and cabaret throughout the UK and will assemble in Brighton in mid January to commence rehearsals for their opening night on Thursday, February 4.

Allan Jay is playing Prince Lorenzo in Snow White, Glasgow. Dave Lynn is playing one of those nasty step sisters in Cinderella with skating legends, Torvill and Dean at the Opera House, Manchester and he will also be appearing in the Christmas edition of Birds of a Feather on ITV. Miss Jason is playing to rave reviews: “Best Panto Dame I have ever seen” as Sarah the Cook with X-Factor winner Sam Bailey in Dick Wittington, Aylesbury. Lola Lasagna is playing Widow Twankey in Aladdin, Leeds and Chris Howard is playing Slippery Sid in Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs, Skegness.

No Brighton production would be complete without an appearance at some point from that legendary Brighton institution Maisie Trollette. who will be appearing as if by magic at each performance.

Add to that the talents of Davina Sparkle, Jason Lee and Cassidy Connors who are appearing nightly in cabaret throughout the UK and you have the ingredients for a fabulous. X-rated, high performance show.

Quintin Young who is staging the Panto, said: “This production is set to raise the bar and maintain the first class tradition of alternative adult Pantos in Brighton & Hove”.

The Sinderfella production company have arranged a special show and meal deal for mid-week performances only which include a champagne cocktail on arrival, two course dinner and ticket for the Panto, at Cote Brasserie, 115-116 Church St, Brighton and all for just £27.50

To book show and meal deal, email: thealternativepantobrighton@yahoo.co.uk

To book tickets online, click here:

Call us now

Month: December 2015

Canadian media support LGBTQ Pride tape campaign

“These 6 Colours Can Change the Hockey World”.

Brighton Kemptown MP thanks postal workers

Simon Kirby, the MP for Brighton Kemptown and Peacehaven, visits Royal Mail’s Peacehaven Delivery Office to pass on Xmas greetings to postmen and women at their busiest time of year.

Festive social for disabled LGBT people

An LGBT Disabled People’s group will be holding a festive meet-up tomorrow, December 18, 2015.

Win a pair of tickets for ‘Holiday on Ice’

Holiday on Ice returns to the UK for one week only in January 2016 with a new, spectacular show, PASSION.

Preview: I Am Not Myself These Days

The brutal, shocking and yet deeply moving one man show, I Am Not Myself These Days, comes to Brighton next February following its debut at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe.

REVIEW: Scrooge Inspired: Spire

Rainbow families needed for documentary

LGBT parents and their children needed for Brighton Rainbow Families documentary.

Final Trans Swimming session in 2015

The final Trans Swimming session for 2015 will take place at St. Luke’s Swimming Pool on Wednesday, December 23 from 8.20-9.20pm.

From Boom Boom Boom to Buttucks and Snow White!

Scottish recording artist Allan Jay releases new single Boom Boom Boom and is set to appear as Buttucks in Sinderfella, the adult panto here in Brighton.

Local TV presenter joins cast of Alternative Panto – The gayest show in town! –

TV presenter and broadcaster Mike Mendoza joins the line up of Sinderfella the Adult Panto at the Sallis Benny Theatre in February.

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Call us now

“These 6 Colours Can Change the Hockey World”.

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Simon Kirby, the MP for Brighton Kemptown and Peacehaven, visits Royal Mail’s Peacehaven Delivery Office to pass on Xmas greetings to postmen and women at their busiest time of year.

Share this:

An LGBT Disabled People’s group will be holding a festive meet-up tomorrow, December 18, 2015.

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Holiday on Ice returns to the UK for one week only in January 2016 with a new, spectacular show, PASSION.

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The brutal, shocking and yet deeply moving one man show, I Am Not Myself These Days, comes to Brighton next February following its debut at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe.

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LGBT parents and their children needed for Brighton Rainbow Families documentary.

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The final Trans Swimming session for 2015 will take place at St. Luke’s Swimming Pool on Wednesday, December 23 from 8.20-9.20pm.

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Scottish recording artist Allan Jay releases new single Boom Boom Boom and is set to appear as Buttucks in Sinderfella, the adult panto here in Brighton.

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TV presenter and broadcaster Mike Mendoza joins the line up of Sinderfella the Adult Panto at the Sallis Benny Theatre in February.

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