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Edinburgh Festival Review: Don’t tell me not to fly @Underbelly

Claire Sweeney, star of Brookside, Celebrity Big Brother, Chicago, Guys and Dolls and many more shows is as unpretentious as they come.

SO it’s a shame the producers of this hour of diva songs and stories have invented a very lame structure in which to present the entertainment.

Every few minutes a highly annoying and irrelevant series of video images pops up on the back wall and a question is posed for Claire to answer.

Though some – like her first appearance on a stage are relevant and interesting, some like what. Woman she would like to see on a banknote are clearly not.

She seems slightly non-plussed by the procedure and since its is done ten times in the show, it just becomes a source of annoyance and means she sings less than the audience would love her to.

Her life-story is interesting — child performer on working men’s clubs to stage star opposite Patrick Swayze  and her bubbly honesty shine through, but in the singing stakes she excels.

From the title song right through to a stunning four-song Andrew Lloyd Webber medley, she barely sets a foot wrong.

She is surprisingly sexy in the Trolley Song, but well on top of her game in a raunchy medley from Chicago and an equally steamy version of Peggy Lee’s classic Black Coffee.

When she comes and chats and sings in the midst of the audience you can see why she has been a consummately successful entertainer for 30 years.

Danielle Hope and Ria Jones will each take over the role for the rest of August at the Underbelly at McEwan Hall, Edinburgh.

Review by Brian Butler

EDINBURGH FESTIVAL REVIEW: Grace @Gilded Ballroom

In this multi-gender knock about show, Katie Reddin Clancy seeks to confuse, amuse, explore and generally mix up our perceptions of men and women.

OPENING the show as a bouncy unselfish-conscious theatre manager with clipboard and permanent grin, Sheryl tells us that the famous double act Alfie and Grace are no more.

In fact Alfie and Grace are a double act made up of three characters, all played by one person. Confused? Told you so.

Alfie and Grace are highly successful lesbian comedians, we are told. Grace tragically dies in a highly suspect moped accident, leaving Alfie to recreate himself. But not so fast. Alfie is of course not a man, though his cheeky chippy Cockney chavviness are quite endearingly portrayed by Katie.

Enter Zora, Alfie’s new woman. She is nervous and under-rehearsed but belts out a song or two in a passable stand-up slot.

All the joke are gender-related of course. And Katie in her various personae hits out at girly stereotypes – Barbi, Snow White, Cinderella and a Kardashian or two.

BUT in an age where 58 genders have been classified, she tells us “what we agree to is what’s acceptable.” And she adds: “We’re all born naked; the rest is just drag”.

Zora admits she’s caught in the middle  – and so are we. “Being true to yourself” is what counts and Katie is not giving us the answers – just saying we need to explore, to open up, be accepting – and if not at all possible be funny too.

It’s a barn-storming whirlwind performance by Katie, whose talent to create so many different characters is amazing. Not just Alfie and co but Audrey the 19th century theatre ghost and Anna the viscous money grabbing theatrical agent. Tremendous hour of thought-provoking fun.

Grace runs at the Gilded Ballroom, Edinburgh throughout August.

Review by Brian Butler

Young LGBT+ people in care ‘SpeakOut’

New film reveals the experiences of young LGBT+ people coming out while in the care system.

THE six-minute animation promotes the findings of SpeakOut, a national study led by researchers at the University of East Anglia’s (UEA) Centre for Research on Children and Families (CRCF).

The research behind the film is the first and largest project of its kind in England. It focused not only on vulnerability and risk, but also on the strengths and resilience of the young people and the support offered by foster families and the professionals working with them.

Six young researchers who identify as part of LGBT+ communities and spent time living in care made the film with UEA and the Creative Research Collective (CRC). They were keen to use their own experiences to help others in care, improve services and to raise awareness of the needs of LGBT+ people in the care system.

The study itself involved interviews with 46 LGBT+ young people, together with 26 foster carers with experience of caring for LGBT+ young people. There was also a survey of 152 local authorities and focus groups with professionals, including social workers and those working in education and youth offending.

Dr Jeanette Cossar
Dr Jeanette Cossar

Lead researcher Dr Jeanette Cossar, of CRCF and UEA’s School of Social Work, said: “The responses from the young people in particular provide powerful insights into both their personal journeys and their varied experiences of services. Their contribution enhanced every stage of this project.

“We hope the film and the recommendations we’ve made for those working in the care system will lead to a better understanding of the issues facing LGBT+ young people in care and ultimately improve services and support.”

Brett Service is one of the young people involved in the project and features in the film.

He said: “As a gay care leaver I got involved in this amazing project to improve services offered to both the current generation of LGBT+ children in care and care leavers, as well as any future generations.

“It is important that LGBT+ young people get the correct support from professionals involved in their care so they don’t feel alone, unwanted or unsupported. In this project we have all been able to use our expertise as care leavers as well as our expertise as members of the LGBT+ communities to advocate on behalf of other young people who are LGBT+ to make the changes needed.”

Findings from the project include:

  • Support for LGBT+ young people was said to be limited by a lack of both knowledge and confidence and local authorities were keen to improve practice.
  • Several young people concealed their sexual orientation from carers and professionals resulting in isolation, increased vulnerability and sometimes placement breakdown.
  • Some young people feared that coming out in care would result in rejection and placement breakdown, but for others living in care offered an opportunity to explore their LGBT+ identity.
  • When young people came out in care as LGBT+ it helped when foster carers were accepting and reassured the young person of their commitment to them. However, several young people had experienced reactions which they found unhelpful.
  • Across the interviews with the young people there was widespread experience of homophobia, biphobia and transphobia.
  • There was recognition among professionals of inter-generational differences in understandings of sexuality and gender and the need for them to examine, and sometimes re-evaluate, their own attitudes.
  • It was felt that professionals might avoid discussing sexuality with young people because of a general cultural unease about talking about sexuality.
  • Young people said that social workers were not overtly homophobic but that some were awkward and uncomfortable when discussing sexuality with them.

Making of the film involved three full-day workshops, during which the young people met with researchers and the CRC team to explore both their own experiences and the main themes to emerge from the research. Through group exercises, discussions and interviews they decided on the message, the audience and the tone of the film. Artwork created by the young researchers was then animated and edited by CRC’s Lizzy Hobbs.

The film was recently screened at a public launch event as a part of Norwich Pride celebrations, and is now available on the SpeakOut project website: https://www.uea.ac.uk/speakout

‘Looking out for each other’ – a new campaign to keep pedestrians and cyclists safe

With the summer holiday season in full swing and the city welcomes thousands of visitors, a new campaign is launched to help keep pedestrians and cyclists safe.

The Share the space, drop your pace campaign aims to raise awareness, particularly in areas of the city where cyclists and pedestrians share the same space, encouraging everyone to be more aware of what’s around them.

Brighton & Hove City Council, environment councillor Gill Mitchell explained: “Walking and cycling are both great ways get around the city. 

“However, during the summer, when the city gets busier, the chances of collision and risk of injury to pedestrians and cyclists increases. As a result, we’re asking everyone to be more aware of what’s around them and encouraging cyclists to use their bells.”

On Friday, August 17 staff from the council’s Road Safety Team will be out on the seafront, east of the Palace Pier, handing out travel information and fitting bike bells for cyclists. Sussex Police officers will also be advising cyclists to keep to the cycle tracks at all times.

Road safety officer Keith Baldock said: “In many areas of the city, pedestrians and cyclists share the same space and in others, segregated cycle tracks run alongside a footway, allowing cyclists to travel away from roads. 

“Fortunately, collisions are rare, but vulnerable pedestrians with hidden disabilities can be scared by cyclists riding fast near to them.  Similarly cyclists have been hurt by dogs on leads and walkers wandering onto the cycle track.

“We want to remind everyone that clearly marked, cycle tracks are intended for cyclists only. Where pedestrian crossings are on the road there are often breaks in the cycle track, with give way markings, to allow pedestrians to cross the cycle track. 

“Being considerate to others makes life much more friendly for everyone.”

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