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Month: April 2018

Brighton Fringe PREVIEW: Professional Breakup Artist – Annabelszki

Posted on by Contributor

Original and unruly humour about contemporary queer life.

SHARE the highs, lows, and downright hilarity of the eternal scramble to seek, find, and inevitably lose, the woman of your dreams.

Be taken by the hand and gently guided through the ridiculous scenarios that the search for love, Ms Right, or just a good hard… can entail.

An authentic narrative, exploring the contemporary minefield of lesbian love, lust, dating, and break-ups. An energetic, comedic and poetic voyage.

Brighton-based performance artist Annabelszki delivers a fusion of stand-up, audience interaction, improv, and comedic poetry.

Annabelszki invites the broken hearted of Brighton and Hove in for a consultation: the Professional Breakup Artist will see you now …

A one-woman cabaret aimed at anyone who has ever experienced: a disaster date, sex, love, being in a relationship or being dumped.

Expect audience interaction, a multitude of sexual references and a unique use of props!

Event: Professional Break Up Artist: ANNABELSZKI

Where: Sweet Werks 2, Werks Central, 15-17 Middle Street, Brighton and Hove

When: May 25, 26 & 27

Time: 7pm

Cost: £6-£8

To book tickets online: click here:

18+

INTERVIEW: And the winner of Pride’s got talent is…..

Posted on by Ray A-J

Pride’s Got Talent finalist Andrea Giovanni talks about being in the queerest competition around, androgyny, Rupaul, and the struggles of growing up in a strictly religious family.

ANDROGYNY. Music. Fashion. What do these things have in common? Andrea Di Giovanni.

The Italian singer-songwriter has taken his unique style and sound right to the finals of Pride’s got talent, and this weekend he’ll battle it out at the Charing Cross Theatre in London, in the hopes of slaying the house and donning the title of winner.

“I am so excited, I can’t wait! I’ve been trying to get to the finals for the past 3 years and never made it, so being part of it now is great!” he told me, brimming with zeal and zest. “It’s like having a second family. It’s so much fun, you meet other incredible, talented artists and we all do our thing with pride, which makes you feel right at home.”

As Rupaul once said:  “When the going gets tough, the tough reinvent,” and Andrea did just that. Moving from his family in Italy to London at just 18, the singer set his sights on stardom. He pushed to pursue his music seriously, after TV show exposure in Italy.

It was then that “I realised I had what it takes and decided to go full-time with it, with the first step being moving to London!” he enthuses.

Enrolling himself at the British institute of modern music (BIMM), Andrea lit the flame that would lead him to the stages of Pride’s Got Talent. And as a fellow BIMM alumni, I wanted to know what London’s school of music had to offer our star.

“Aw, BIMMers everywhere! Haha.” he joked. “I’ve spent the best years of my life at BIMM. I’ve learned so much about myself and my abilities, perfected my craft, found my own musical identity and made great connections.”

“There had been difficult moments […] being bullied and shamed for being different and feeling a lot of confusion due to my sexuality.”

Moving away from home at such a young age must have been difficult (let alone moving countries), but for Andrea, it was a necessary evil.

“I felt a sense of relief moving to London, I immediately had the feeling that it was the right place for me to fully discover and accept my sexuality, and therefore thrive as a person and artist. It was great regardless my choice of moving away, my family were supportive in the best way they could and I was surely loved.”

And thanks to the move, Andrea was able to immerse himself in an LGBT+ community for the first time. “It’s like a big family, we support and look after each other. It’s great and we are working hard to make every part of the community feel represented and respected. I’ve never really approached my community back in Italy, I was way too scared to do so!”

“Discovering […] my sexuality made me feel like religion itself would not accept me, and made me feel scared,”

But it wasn’t always plain sailing for Andrea. He grew up in a strictly Catholic family, and of course there were some issues the rules of religion imparted on him.

“There had been difficult moments throughout my teenage years though, such as being bullied and shamed for being different and feeling a lot of confusion due to my sexuality. I guess that for years it made me feel like I lived in a bubble. I would follow the rules but never really questioned why. God’s words and all of that. Growing up though, things changed and I started to realise that I didn’t quite like it, nor believe in it quite frankly, and I took a step back. Also, discovering more and more about my sexuality made me feel like religion itself would not accept me and made me feel scared, wrong, so I completely despised it.”

But that’s all behind him now, and with the help of drag superstar Rupaul, Andrea has crafted his fabulously musical crossdressing career. “Androgyny spoke to me straight away, I’ve always been the guy with feminine traits and mannerisms and it’s exciting, it breaks the boundaries of gender and it questions masculinity, or at least our society’s conception of it, at its max. Seeing the platform he [Rupaul] created and how brave he was while doing so, makes me so inspired. Also thanks to him and the art of drag, I’ve learned not to take myself so seriously all the time and to have fun with people’s opinions and judgements, because, at the end of the day, if you’re not having fun, neither is your audience.”

Now his look might be inspired by Mama Ru, but his music definitely isn’t. Andrea’s new single Our own way is out soon, encompassing everything from Whitney Houston to Mary J Blige, to Michael Jackson and Queen.

But what is it about? “Our Own Way is a song I wrote 2 years ago and it talks about a breakthrough moment in my life,” he explains. “At the time I was with a girl but realised that it wasn’t what I really wanted, so I decided to follow my own way and my own path towards happiness,” – a story many can relate to.

And when our little chat concludes, Andrea leaves with a parting gift we should all live by. A quote from Mama Ru that just encapsulates Andrea’s arduous journey towards stardom, and the struggles he’s faced along the way to becoming the fabulous musician a performer he is.

 “Unless they’re paying your bills, pay them b*tches no mind.”

The final of Pride’s Got Talent is on Sunday, April 29 at Charing Cross Theatre, Villiers St, WC2N 6NL London, United Kingdom from 6-10pm.

Tickets cost: Early Bird Stalls £12: Standard Stalls £15: Benches (5 seats each) –  £120 – includes a bottle of bubbly!: Balcony (9 seats) – £240 – includes two bottles of bubbly!

To book tickets online, click here:

REVIEW: Present Laughter @Chichester

Posted on by Eric Page

Present Laughter by Noel Coward

Director Sean Foley

Actor, charmer and diva, Garry Essendine is determined to disregard his advancing years and receding hairline by revelling in his endless tantrums and casual affairs, but as he is about to depart for Africa, he’s besieged by a bevy of would-be seductresses, not to mention his long suffering secretary, his estranged wife and an obsessed young playwright. As he attempts to disentangle himself from their clutches and demands, the humour escalates, accompanied by farce and sparkling repartee.

Rufus Hound and Katherine Kingsley star in this Noel Coward period piece and the play is played loud and brash with a lot of daft and funny physical slapstick, endless moments of synchronised movements and oddly focused character traits.

It’s a bold shove in the direction of comedy sitcom from director Sean Foley and although it’s paced well and climbs to its inevitable tottering pinnacle of farce, it’s a firm loud schlep to get there.

Tracy-Ann Oberman’s performance of secretary Monica Reed was a delight, full of barely their distain and her timing was spot on, she’s an essentially perfect comedy actress, pitching her lines flawlessly and staying engaging all the time.

Hound is at shouting pace from the off and never lets off of the steam which detracts from his severe gibes, the delicate and well-judged foiling of his overacting of overacting from Kingsley gives just enough balance to make it work, but there were occasions when I wanted him to quieten down a touch and let the words do their magic.

This candyfloss and flimflam hide the mean heart of this play – these selfish entitled greedy people who will do anything to preserve their privileged status and its more circus that critical and a lot of Cowards needle sharp insults are softened in the spitting, spouting, splashing, squirting of various liquids and lines, some of them are lost altogether in the subsequent froth. The humour (unlike the acting) is played so sotto soft as to be virtually unchallenging which means the majority of the audience giggled along.

I enjoyed the bounce, verve and relentless narrative steam rolling.  Coward was never a scaredy-cat when he could spear his peers; you’ll snort at some of the lines in the most deliciously vulgar way as did some of the Festival theatre audience. A few folk like me snorted at the ‘wrong’ place at the relentless misogynistic yuck but director Foleys attention on the daft has managed to water down the inherent sexism of this play and rendered it sweet, no mean feat in itself and rather refreshing.

Its funny Downtown, ghastly glitterati, its posh folk who talk like type writers and act like them too, it’s staid and hypocritical haut monde and folk love it.  This is a tight team on stage, well-rehearsed, relaxed & also enjoying themselves enough to get the giggles on press night.   No sense of ripping it open and looking at this nasty stuff more closely, but then when it’s this charming, why bother and that’s part of the delight of this play, it mirrors itself perfectly, a sudsy infinity of vanities.

The play looks great, Alice Power’s set is a good-looking piece of work, doors opening and closing, (and slamming which should be softened), rooms off hinted at, movement and comfort , the feel of a very public private space, splendid costumes with some spot on details. Oh those mauve shoes that Tracy-Ann Oberman wore, I wasn’t the only person gushing over them in the interval , lighting and music picked with a real eye on the period and this adds to a feeling of something glossy and frothy and fun, like  the characters want to be.

For full details of the cast and creatives, click here:

Rufus Hound is ok in a part Noel wrote for himself, but he’s absolutely not believable as a devastatingly handsome heart-throb who drives folks to obsession and distraction. The rest of the cast put as much effort as possible into making these manikins of pose and projected wit seem human and believable, some of them just giving up and giving us daft and slightly nutty performances which brought some fresh laughter out, but deep, deep, down this is desperately shallow stuff, perfect Coward.

This soft touch cartoony production works mostly from the engaging efforts of this tightly rehearsed cast, but every moment is milked for laughs, each walk has its wobble, it crescendos perfectly and we are left gasping at the daftness and dexterity of this cast.

We wandered out into the evening, the moon high in the sky, the fairy lights twinkling in the trees and my companion bubbling delightedly about the show as I enjoyed the gentle mumbling of the crowd. The full audience found it a very comfortable treat indeed and the perfect opening entertainment at the Festival Theatre.

Runs until May 17

at Festival Theatre, Chichester

To book tickets online, click here:

£1 million refurb for city’s loos

Posted on by Besi

City council set to spend more than £1 million refurbishing the city’s public toilets.

A DETAILED report is being drawn up with details of how the money, which was identified and set aside earlier this year will be spent. But it will mean a complete overhaul of around 12 of the busiest toilets and upgrading to all or the majority of the others to bring them up to a standard residents, tourists and businesses expect.

Councillor Gill Mitchell, chair of the city’s environment, transport and sustainability committee, said: “This huge investment will help transform our toilet facilities and ensure we’re providing loos that the city can be proud of. 

Cllr Gill Mitchell

“We’ve won many awards in the past for our public conveniences, but a major refurbishment of all our toilets is needed, and that’s what we’re planning.”

The money was set aside in this year’s budget, in February, and a full report outlining the details is expected to go before a council committee in June. It will mean toilets being brought up to modern-day standards and part of the business plan could mean some, but not all, of the toilets becoming paid for loos.

If the plans are approved, any money generated through people paying will be channelled directly back into the upkeep of the new facilities.

The council opened its first paid for toilet near the i360 almost four years which has proved successful. It is also planning another as part of the Shelter Hall development.

Cllr Mitchell added: “We must remember this is taxpayer’s money and we will spend it wisely, and for the benefit of our residents and tourists. 

“But a major and growing problem we must all work together to overcome is the amount of anti-social behaviour that takes place in our public toilets, and are working with our partners to address this issue.”

In recent months toilet attendants in some of the city’s loos have been the victims of violence, including one defenceless and terrified attendant being threatened by a drug user holding a needle, who warned, “if you try to stop me I’ll stab you in the head”. 
 
Cllr Mitchell added: “Our attendants are there to keep the toilets clean, not to clear needles or deal with anti-social behaviour like this. They must be protected.”
 
The council’s toilets have come under scrutiny recently, but the council is also taking measures to address the complaints. This includes bringing in Ajay Spolia, a regional manager at Healthmatic, the council’s toilet maintenance contractor, to ensure the contract is being carried out correctly.

Healthmatic has extensive experience in managing public toilets including cleaning, maintenance and refurbishment, and works with 160 local authorities in the UK.

Mr Spolia said: “Over the next few weeks I’ll be concentrating solely on making sure the city’s toilets are clean and are kept clean, are in good working order and fit for purpose.

“We will also be carrying out site assessments and repairs to the facilities over the next few weeks, including repairing broken doors, locks, and deep cleansing sites.
 
“I’ll also be ensuring toilet attendants, especially at the Royal Pavilion and seafront facilities, are carrying out their jobs correctly, including cleaning the toilets thoroughly and regularly.” 

The council’s contract with Healthmatic amounts to £676,000 per year and is due to last 10 years with thirty Healthmatic staff assigned to the contract.

The contract was awarded to Healthmatic through a tendering process after the previous contract with Wettons ended. The contract includes all aspects of managing the toilets including cleaning, maintenance and refurbishment.

Brighton Festival support Celebrate UK Pay-It-Forward Day

Posted on by Besi

In celebration of UK Pay-It-Forward day on Saturday, April 28, 2018, Brighton Festival is inviting audiences to join the global philanthropic movement and enable more people to enjoy ticketed events at Brighton Festival.

THIS is the second year that the scheme has run following a phenomenal response last year, with over a thousand people choosing to pay tickets forward in the lead up to Brighton Festival.

Those booking tickets for Festival events are given the option of paying an extra £5 (or an amount of their choosing) as they complete their purchase, which Brighton Festival will match fund in order to give a free Pay-It-Forward Festival Ticket Voucher to someone unable to afford to purchase a ticket.

All Brighton Festival ticketed events have Pay-It-Forward Vouchers available to book online or in person. The vouchers will be distributed at Your Place (our community-led, free performance programme in Hangleton and East Brighton running over two Festival weekends), local schools and through our partner community organisations.

Andrew Comben
Andrew Comben

Andrew Comben, Chief Executive of Brighton Dome & Brighton Festival, says: “From our regular free participatory events such as the annual Children’s Parade, City Reads and Young City Reads, Weekend Without Walls and Your Place – two weekends of free cultural events programmed by and for the communities of East Sussex and Hangleton, to our partnership with Brighton City College to live-stream many of our shows to audiences around the world for free, Brighton Festival has always been dedicated to making the arts accessible for all. This year’s Brighton Festival is our most diverse and wide-ranging Festival yet, with more opportunities than ever for everyone to get involved and participate. Last year we introduced Pay-It-Forward and were overwhelmed by the generosity and enthusiasm of our audiences. A donation of £5 on top of the price of your tickets is matched by Brighton Festival to create a free ticket voucher for someone unable to afford the opportunity. We want Brighton Festival to be for everyone, and by contributing in this way you can help us make it even more accessible.”

Nadine Strasman, Chair of the Sussex Syrian Community Group, who were recipients of the scheme last year added: “The Pay-It-Forward Scheme has enabled the Syrian members of the community and their children to attend a number of events in Brighton Festival last year. This experience has helped the community members to learn about the British culture and has made them feel welcome and included. Many thanks for the generosity of people who donated the tickets and for organising the scheme. Without those tickets people would not have been able to attend any events in Brighton Festival. We look forward to attending more events in the forthcoming festival.”

The inspiration for Pay-It-Forward comes from the global international Pay-It-Forward Day, which is now in its 11th year, and hopes to inspire millions to experience the power and positive energy of giving by buying something in advance for someone else.

Pay-It-Forward is about all people, from all walks of life giving to someone else and making a positive difference. At last count, there were more than 5 million people in 80 countries around the world participating on the Pay-It-Forward Day.

More than half of the ticketed events in Brighton Festival 2018 have prices generally available for £10 or less.

There are also 15 free events and workshops including Weekend Without Walls (Saturday, May 26, Easthill Park, Portslade and Sunday, May 27, Beach Level by the i360) and visual art installations at Fabrica Gallery, on the Beach Level by the i360 and Phoenix Gallery running throughout the Festival.

Unite Students return to sponsor Bristol Pride

Posted on by Besi

Unite Students, the UKs largest manager and developer of purpose-built student accommodation returns for the second year as headline sponsor of Bristol Pride.

Busted headline main stage in 2017
Busted headline main stage in 2017

BRISTOL Pride, one of the largest Prides in the country is expanding its activities to cover two weeks this year after attracting 35,000 people across Pride Week in 2017.

Unite Students are proud to celebrate diversity and inclusion, and help support students be themselves when they move to university.

“Unite Students are proud to support Bristol Pride for the 2nd year running. We are committed to a common desire to treat everyone equally, and for us that means providing a home for all students, where everyone can be themselves and thrive whilst at university,” said Unite Students CFO, Joe Lister. “We are pleased to be able to demonstrate our commitment to this by supporting an event which celebrates diversity and inclusion in the most positive way, especially in the vibrancy of our home city.”

Republica
Republica

Acts already announced for the big day include: Indie Britpop punk band Republica, fronted by the iconic and fiery Saffron, electro-pop duo Avec Sans, dance sensation and N-Trance front singer Kelly Llorenna, X Factor’s Lloyd Daniels, Laurent John, and tributes to Pink and Madonna.

Other stages at the festival include the cabaret stage with some of the UK’s top performers including Mary Mac, Drag With No Name, Son Of A Tutu, and the Dance Performance stage featuring local and national dancers and workshops, with styles ranging from hip hop and street dance, to salsa.

Pride Day will start with the Parade March that departs from Castle Park at 11am, snaking its way around the city with a giant 50 metre rainbow flag.

Last year over 7,000 people took part in the parade with even more lining the streets to cheer everyone on, declaring loudly and proudly that hate and prejudice doesn’t belong in Bristol; a message more important than ever in a year that’s seen hate crimes spike across the nation.

Taking place from July 2-15, festival events this year include the Pride Dog Show on Saturday, July 7 and an LGBT+ Gaming Event on Sunday July 8 that will showcase games created at a 24 hour pre-event game hack.

Other highlights returning this year include the popular drag version of Murder, She Didn’t Write and a Comedy night featuring Jayde Adams, Sophie Ducker and Sarah Keyworth.

New events this year include a poetry night, and a talk about the science of gender and sexuality in the natural world, from TEDx speaker Antonia Forster. There will also be a specially curated circus evening in partnership with Circomedia, where LGBT+ circus and acrobatic performers will dazzle audiences with amazing skills while exploring themes that affect and celebrate the LGBT+ communities.

Pride night sees the team again take over the O2 academy, for TEMPEST featuring rooms curated by clubnight DTYM and KIKI, with London club behemoth’s Savage Disco, a creation of party makers Sink the Pink, headlining the main arena.

Daryn Carter
Daryn Carter

Daryn Carter, CEO Bristol Pride, said: “We’re really excited to welcome back Unite Students as our Headline Sponsor for a second year, their continued support means we have been able to grow the festival and expand to two full weeks of events across the city. I am so proud of the national and local success and support that Pride has had, we’ve got great plans for this year and are already busy laying down our plans for 2019 which will see our teams 10th anniversary.”

Pride Day is again donation entry but Pride are offering £5 supporter wristbands for Pride Day which offer free travel with First Bus, money off the bars at Pride, £1 journeys with Bristol Ferrys as well as other fantastic rewards.

Bristol Pride is a registered charity run by volunteers and works all year round to challenge homophobia, biphobia, transphobia and to promote equality and diversity, for all, through various events and activities which include school visits, campaigns, talks to business, consultation services and lobbying.

Bristol Pride Presents will fundraise to allow Pride to continue to happen and to ensure that it remains an open and accessible event for all and that no one is excluded from Pride for socio-economic reasons.

To purchase wristband online, click here:

For more information about Bristol Pride, click here:

OPINION: Transitioning with Sugar – Drugs and the Trans Community

Posted on by Ms Sugar Swan

Ms Sugar Swan looks at drug use and asks if trans people are overlooked as an at-risk group within the LGBT+ communities.

PARTY drugs are a problem, they always have been, and whilst I think some members of our umbrella communities are well looked after and catered to when it comes to party drugs and picking up the pieces when things go wrong, I fear that, as with many things in the community, trans people are often overlooked.

It’s impossible to walk into an LGBT+ venue which caters primarily or exclusively (through discrimination) to cis people without seeing posters advocating for services designed to help those who need support surrounding drug habits that may be becoming or which have already become out of control.

There is very little stigma left within the cis gay community when it comes to chems. It’s something that’s quite openly spoken of amongst my cis gay friends and there’s little taboo left around chems with people even stating their drug preferences on dating apps.

This cumulatively has never made it easier to turn for help. I’m aware that help surrounding chems for cis people is not always easy to ask for, if wanted. I myself have felt the tight grip and despair after losing someone I had loved dearly for 17 years when their addictions got the better of them 18 months ago.

Although I recognise it’s not easy for my cis gay siblings to ask for help, the help is there, and it’s something that can be accessed without judgement or question through charities, organisations and peer to peer support groups. Trans people are not so well catered to in the same way and we have a need for these kinds of services too.

I used to be a fairly heavy user of chems and party drugs as well as alcohol, tobacco and marijuana when presenting as a cis man. It was quite usual to use drugs when socialising and as a physical relaxant and mental stimulus when engaging in sexual activity.

Since transitioning, and finding my trans community, chem use seems and feels much more of a taboo subject. Many trans people aren’t as open about their chem use as their cis counterparts and I’m struggling to work out why.

Maybe it’s because paraphernalia around support aimed at trans people isn’t so prevalent? Maybe it’s because trans people are held under a higher degree of scrutiny and we therefore feel that we have to present our censored selves to the outside world?

I don’t interact with drugs like I used to some years ago, I don’t feel that I need to. I’m so much happier in myself now and I no longer feel like I need drugs (or alcohol) to engage sexually. I’m comfortable with how I look now and I don’t have that need to alter my mental state to have sex or to let my metaphoric guard down as I once did. I’m one of the lucky ones and I never became addicted to chems and for that I am truly grateful.

After the drug-related death of a loved one (mentioned earlier) I was asked to sit on the steering committee of a forum that created a safe space where all people could come together to talk about their relationships with drugs and sex.

I’ve spoken about this with other trans, non-binary and gender non-conforming people in doing prep for this article, and while I’ve heard from many different points of view – from the person who loves to go to sex parties with strangers and indulge in chems to someone who can’t bear to be around those under the influence in any circumstance and all sorts of people in between. One common theme seems to occur – trans people have often taken some form of chems and often as a way to help them cope with their gender dysphoria.

Pre-transition, people seem to have taken drugs as a release, in a similar way that we have high percentage rates of self-harm. It can be most hard to socialise with others when you’re presenting as, and assumed to be, a gender that you are not, and taking drugs is one way to make this a little more bearable.

Another trend seems to be that the use of chems amongst trans people pre-transition helps with sex when you’re not having the kind of sex you want, in the ways you want, with the people who you want it with.

During transition, which lasts up to 10 years or more for some of us, we are at a vulnerable point in our lives where we may be getting used to changes within ourselves and within our bodies, and again any kind of drugs can offer a temporary relief for us.

Another trend, within myself and others, is that at whatever point in transition we are, we face oppression, and again drugs help us forget that for a short spell.

Finally, of course, why should we, as trans people, not use drugs in the ways that our counterparts do, should we see fit, and why is it more underground?

If trans people are as likely to partake in drugs as cis people then why are we not being supported in the same way?

PREVIEW: Almost in Heaven – Allan Jay

Posted on by Besi

Allan Jay’s new single Almost in Heaven is being released through Energise Records.

ALLAN is a Scottish recording artiste who over the past few years has made a big name for himself on the UK LGBT Dance music scene.

Known for his powerful vocals and high energy performances he has performed in Asia, Europe and across the UK supporting such acts as Venga Boys, Shane Ward, Lucy Spraggen, Whigfield, Tina Cousins, Blue and S Club.

Almost in Heaven is set to be a summer anthem. The track is produced by J Van Havenhand (Jason Havenhand) who has worked with artists such as Erasure alongside Record labels ‘All Around the Word Records’, Fierce Angel and Hed Kandi. He was part of the production team Riffs & Rays along with Deqoy’s own Phil Pendlebury, together churning out dance and pop hits from 2000 to 2010.

Allan Jay’s previous success includes I go to pieces reaching as high as number 3 on the Italo NRG top 40 Chart and reaching number 4 in the Eurodance Hits Chart.

Following that success Allan recorded Boom Boom Boom a cover of the 1980’s track by Paul Lukakis which reached No.6 in the DJ Strong Dance chart and No.9 in the Euro Dance Hits Chart.

In recent years he received awards for his music including the ‘LBGTQ MUSIC AWARD 2016 ‘ for his duet with 90’s legend Rozalla (which reached No.8 on the Electronic Album Chart) and previously being named winner of ‘Best Male Artiste 2015’ in Reloaded Music Award, and in the same year a Finalist at the Icon Awards 2015.

Almost in Heaven is a power dance floor filler in the style of ‘Cascada’/’BaseHunter’. The song is very much about letting go and enjoying yourself on the dance floor with someone who takes your eye on a night out.

With powerful musical riffs and impression drop down section this is guaranteed to get any club, festival or event going this summer.

Almost in Heaven will be available across all digital platforms and from www.energiserecords.com

From iTunes, click here:

From Amazon, click here:

Rita Ora to headline Manchester Pride

Posted on by Besi

Rita Ora, Jake Shears, Sigala, Alexandra Burke, Nadine Coyle and Louise head up Manchester Pride’s Big Weekend in August.

THE Big Weekend is renowned for bringing some of the best homegrown and international artists to the heart of Manchester City Centre every August bank holiday weekend to celebrate LGBT+ life in the city.

Topping the bill on the Thomas Cook Airlines Stage will be artists including Rita Ora, Jake Shears, Sigala and Alexandra Burke.

The Gaydio Dance Arena will welcome TCTS, Ana Matronic, Jon Pleased Wimmin, and Pete Tong along with some familiar faces including DJ Paulette, Jamie Bull, Kriss Herbert and Danny Howard.

Lucy Spraggan, will be performing at her 10th Big Weekend and as a seasoned performer has played every stage at the event throughout her musical career.  Plus across the weekend The Sackville Stage will play host to Proms In The Park, Heather Peace Presents and new addition – Bongo’s Bingo.

Two of the original DJ’s from New York Iconic Club Studio 54 – Nicky Siano and Jellybean Benitez – will recreate ‘A night at Studio 54’ in the Gaydio Dance Arena.

After the success of the Silent Disco and Sing-along-Cinema last year, both events will be back this year, providing audiences with a truly immersive experience, where visitors become the stars of the show.

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Mark Fletcher
Mark Fletcher

Mark Fletcher, Chief Executive for Manchester Pride, says: “This year we’ve curated the most eclectic, yet musically credible, line-up The Big Weekend has ever seen. From international artists like Rita Ora and Jake Shears, to underground stars such as Big Freedia and TCTS, we feel that this is a selection of artists that only Manchester Pride could present. It’s going to be an incredible celebration!  

“The line-up for the Gaydio Dance Arena is huge. Disco legends Nicky Siano and Jellybean Benitez are flying in especially to give us a taste of Studio 54. It’s not to be missed!”

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The Manchester Pride Festival, an award-winning four-day event celebrating LGBT+ life is made up of The Big Weekend, The Manchester Pride Parade, The Candlelit Vigil and The Superbia Weekend. The event takes place in August, with this year’s The Big Weekend set to run from Friday August 24 – Monday, August 27 with the parade on Saturday, August 25.

Third release Big Weekend tickets are priced at £28 for the full weekend, £20.00 for day tickets and family and children’s tickets are also available.

Tickets provide guests with access to the event site, including the Main Arena, Sackville Gardens Boutique Stage, the Gaydio Dance Arena and the Expo and help Manchester Pride raise money for LGBT+ causes in Greater Manchester.

For more information on The Big Weekend, click here:

Woman Over 50 Film Festival 2018 open for submissions

Posted on by Besi

Women Over 50 Film Festival (WOFFF), the international film festival which aims to redress the inequality older women in the film industry face, is now open for submissions.

WOFFF is a celebration of women over 50, in front of and behind the camera, and will hold its fourth annual festival of films and activities in September 2018, showcasing older women’s talents.

WOFFF looks at what it means to be an older woman in today’s society. It aims to start conversations between generations about age and ageing and to help end older women’s isolation.

Anyone can submit a film to WOFFF: there’s no upper age limit and all genders are welcome to enter a film. The key criterion for a WOFFF short film is that it features a woman over 50 in the starring role or has a woman over 50 in the core creative team (writer, director or producer).

Research consistently shows that women, particularly older women, continue to face unequal representation in film. A study by The Centre for the Study of Women in Television and Film at San Diego University found that only 24% of the 100 highest grossing films in 2017 where led by women and that women over 40 accounted for just 29% of characters compared to 40% for men over 40. The study also highlighted some good news; 65% of independent films had female leads.

Actress Greta Scacchi, star of Versailles and War & Peace, supported last year’s festival, particularly because it tackled the discrimination older women face in the media.

She said: “This festival is unique in celebrating rather than hiding or ignoring older women in film. WOFFF rejoices in our older stories, older faces and older hearts and it is my pleasure to be associated with the Festival.”

WOFFF will take place on September 20, 2018 at Duke of York’s Picturehouse Brighton and in its new home at Depot, Lewes, on September 22 and 23, 2018.

Depot is an accessible, independent community cinema and cafe-restaurant with education facilities, created and operated by the charity Lewes Community Screen, just two minutes from Lewes station.

This year, WOFFF is introducing a Student Prize to encourage younger filmmakers to actively consider older women and to collaborate with them when producing their films.

Prizes for the winning student film include £200 cash, a winner’s certificate and the film being part of WOFFF’s Best of the Fest Tour which screens in cinemas and community venues around the UK.

Women Over 50 Film Festival Director, Nuala O’Sullivan, said: “We’re proud to be introducing free student submissions this year. Campaigns like #TimesUp and #MeToo highlight how much festivals like WOFFF are needed. At WOFFF we want to play a part in the fight for gender and age equality and we hope this new initiative will encourage students to join us in this to and to become part of the WOFFF community.”

Creative Director of Depot, Carmen Slijpen, added: “As a new independent cinema, we have already won a number of awards for our accessible and inclusive ethos, so collaborating with WOFFF is the perfect fit for us. Depot shares WOFFF’s commitment to diversity and we’re delighted to be the festival’s new home.”

WOFFF is planning to have all its films subtitled to welcome people to the festival from the D/deaf communities, as well as those who are hard of hearing.

WOFFF is committed to screening a diversity of older women’s voices worldwide. A bursary fund is available to assist a small number of filmmakers to submit work to WOFFF.

In 2017 WOFFF offered bursaries to filmmakers with work from Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Korea, Egypt and Iran to enable them to submit their film without a submission fee.

Film submissions should be in English or have English subtitles. Documentaries can be up to 25 minutes long, while dramas are up to 20 minutes, and animation and experimental films can be a maximum of 15 minutes. Submissions for entries are open until July 31.

To learn more about student submissions and the bursary scheme, as well as to submit an entry, click here: 

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