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PREVIEW: Crystalz Tavern @Marlborough Theatre

There’s a Queer Speakeasy Coming to Brighton Fringe…..Shh – Mum’s the word!

HIDDEN away in the very depths of Kemptown, lies a place of freedom, a place of liberation, a place of fabulously sparkling glitter-clad wonder. And for one week only, you can see it for yourself.

A throbbing neon lighthouse guiding you to a space of safety, away from the jagged rocks of late stage capitalism. A speakeasy that heals the wounded and holds the oppressor to account. This is Crystalz Tavern.  Featuring a shifting constellation of the UK’s best live art/cabaret performers and guest DJs, the exclusive club-esque night of queer talent and celebration is transforming the night at Brighton Fringe.

Raining in young designer Jack Poole of Poile Art, the Marlborough is shapeshifting into a cabaret party that stops for nothing. Resist man-made monsters like bro-flakes and binaries, with the help of resident performers: Symoné, Ebony Rose Dark, XANA, Lasana Shabazz, and Astrothot.

It’s not just the artists and format of the show that is unique to the Fringe landscape. Five of the Crystalz Tavern artists are taking part in week long creative residencies, living, developing and then performing on show nights.

This rare opportunity gives queer black and brown artists to live and work amongst peers in a radically supportive environment.

Symoné makes her debut at The Marlborough Theatre this May. The roller-skating, hula-hooping phenomenon cut her teeth as an underground club dancer in high end shows, and combines dance styles such as voguing and dancehall in her feel good circus routines. Symoné will be working on the creation of her new show Cult Mentality whilst in residence at Crystalz Tavern.

Ebony Rose Dark is your all singing/lip syncing all dancing, Story Telling, V.I.P/Visually Impaired cabaret artist. A feisty Birmingham Lass who is  “challenging the seeing eye” through cabaret. Taking to the stage in drag, Ebony Rose Dark’s performances explore disability within the LGBT+ communities.

XANA – a maverick musician, modular synthesist, poet and sound designer who will be working on their upcoming  show Swallowing Your Idols a series of episodes about returning to your childhood and how connecting with your younger self gives you the forgiveness you seek in your adulthood. The show explores accountability of childhood trauma and the coping mechanisms we develop in order to live in rage and love.

Lasana Shabazz is a multidisciplinary performance artist who has performed across the UK and all over the globe. A regular at the ground breaking Cocoa Butter Club, and frequent host of Batty Mama, we warn you now to be prepared for loud, colourful and conversation starting performances that will always leave you wanting more.

Astrothot is an Interdisciplinary Live artist and Producer from Birmingham whose artistic practice spans theatre, performance, dance, installation and AV.  Their work is autobiographical and socially conscious, rooted in their lived experience as working class, neurodivergent working class and queer human. They make work as resistance and for survival.

The show is an Afro-Futuristic speakeasy with a crystalline cavern meets old-world tavern vibe featuring a cornucopia of cabaret, performance art, video installations,  DJs, Drag and of course crystal themed cocktails.

Crystalz Tavern creates space for the multiplicities that inhabit it, a simultaneously chilled and vibrant space that centres the voices of QTIPOC (Queer/Trans/Intersex People of Colour).

Crystalz Tavern is conceived, curated and compeered by co-director of The Marlborough Theatre, Tarik Elmoutawakil, who has been making waves in Brighton Festival 2018 with his afro futuristic, space-church themed performance party Brownton Abbey (touring 2019).


Event: Crystalz Tavern by Brownton Abbey

Where: Marlborough Theatre, Princess Street, Brighton

When: May 25, 26, 30, 31,

Time: 7.30pm-9pm with Crystal Disco lasting until 11pm.

Cost: £5-£10

To book tickets online, click here:

Lord Cashman to launch UK’s first LGBT+ Business and Media Centre

A FOUNDER of the UK’s largest national LGBT+ charity and member of the House of Lords heads to the North East later this month to open a trailblazing media centre.

STONEHILLS, at Shields Road, Pelaw has been given new life to become the Pride Media Centre, the UK’s first LGBT+ business and media hub.

And The Rt Hon. The Lord Michael Cashman CBE, one of the founding members of Stonewall and a patron of both LGBT Labour and London-based HIV charity, The Food Chain, will open the building at the official launch on Friday, May 31.

The LGBT+ activist made history in 1987, taking part in the first gay kiss on mainstream British television in his role as Colin Russell on EastEnders.

He will be joined by representatives from Gateshead Council, which has supported the creation of the complex.

A number of businesses have set up in the centre’s 16 offices, including not-for-profit organisation, Pride Community Network, North East station, Pride Radio 89.2 fm and Pride World Radio, which broadcasts online to around 125 countries.

Lord Cashman
Lord Cashman

Lord Cashman said: “30 years after a small group of us came together to found the Stonewall group to fight for legal equality and social justice for LGBT people I couldn’t be prouder than to be using a pair of scissors, not to cut up hate mail, but to cut the ribbon and open this brilliant, innovative, and welcoming Pride Media Centre.”

The hub will also be the home of newly launched online television station, Out and Proud TV, and it will provide a range of support and opportunities to the LGBT+ communities and their allies, including outreach programmes designed to reach isolated members of LGBT+ communities.

Peter Darrant
Peter Darrant

Peter Darrant, of Pride World Media, a multi-channel LGBT broadcaster which includes Pride Radio and Pride World Radio, said: “We are delighted to welcome Lord Michael Cashman to launch the Pride Media Centre, which is the first of its kind in the UK.

“So much hard work, time and effort has gone into this project and it’s so rewarding to see it all pay off.

“The complex has become a home to a diverse range of businesses and this means it is able to offer a far-reaching set of services and opportunities that will make a real difference for the LGBT+ community and its allies.”

Kim and Captain Cockroach raise funds for LGBT Community Safety Forum

Popular couple raise £650 for Brighton & Hove LGBT Community Safety Forum.

KIM and Graham Hobson, known to many as Captain Cockroach, celebrated their silver wedding anniversary, Graham’s 60th birthday and their company’s 25th birthday at a very special evening at the Queens Hotel on Saturday, May 4.

Entertainment was provided by Kara Van Park and Jason Lee as well as many scene personalities present including Jason Sutton, Davina Sparkle and David Raven who all made contributions to the evenings fun.
Rather than receive gifts, Kim and Graham asked for donations to be made to the Brighton & Hove LGBT Community Safety Forum.
Pictured:  Kim is presented with a certificate of thanks from Safety Forum volunteer, Louise Whittingham for the £650 raised on the night.
Billie Lewis Volunteer Chair of the Brighton and Hove LGBT Community Safety Forum said: “Kim, Graham and their family are genuinely compassionate and supportive of the communities they live in. We are truly grateful for the support they continue to give the Forum.”

BIZARRE BAZAAR is coming on Sunday to Subline !!!

Bizarre Bazaar, a two day sale of new and used items with a fetish/kinky twist will be staged to raise funds for The Sussex Beacon at end of May.

The first sale on Sunday, May 26 from 2-6pm will be at Subline, 129 St James St, Brighton. Admission: 1st 50 get through the door for £2 then £1.

There is no disabled access to Subline but a Personal Shopper service will be available at the Sussex Beacon Charity shop upstairs.

Then on Monday, May 27 from 11am-4pm the sale moves upstairs to the Sussex Beacon Shop, 130 St James Street, Brighton.

Subline
Subline

If you are able to donate any of the following items please take them to either of the Beacon Shops in St James St or London Rd (72-73 London Rd) or to arrange a collection call the St James St shop on 01273 682992.

LEATHER/RUBBER GEAR, BONDAGE, MILITARY/UNIFORMS, BOOTS –  Rangers, D.M’s, Cowboy, Wellies etc, SPORTSWEAR – Trackies, Jackets, Trainers, Football/Rugby Kit/Boots, Shiny etc, UNDERWEAR – Jocks, Briefs, Boxers etc, ADULT MAGAZINES, DVD’s & BOOKS ,EROTIC ART etc    

Fringe MUSIC REVIEW: Chineke @The Dome

Diversity is the central theme of Brighton Festival 2019 , and this concert was at the heart of that message.

CHINEKE is a unique group of Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) classical musicians from across Europe and the UK.

Under the energetic and sympathetic conducting of Wayne Marshall, the orchestra produced a wonderful evening of crowd-pleasers plus one or two novelties.

Aaron Copland’s Music for the Theatre opens with a clarion call from trumpets and leads into an interesting mixture of styles from Vaughan Williams to the jazz of Gershwin. Rapid changes in tempo give more than a nod to the style Bernstein later developed in West Side Story.

Ibert’s Divertissement is a well-known concert hall treat, with its frenetic pace, jaunty little waltz with almost mocking horns laughing at us, and a sort of parody of a military parade.

Highlight of the first half was Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue, featuring the slight frame of Canadian pianist Stewart Goodyear. He played in a stunning style – attacking the loud and fast passages with almost violence to the keyboard, yet in the quieter sections, caressing the keys and at times almost stopping mid-phrase.

Jessie Montgomery’s Starburst is a very brief, strings-only piece which was high pitched and high octane.

Orchestral sections of Kurt Weill’s Little Threepenny Music, taken from the Threepenny Opera, gave the strings a rest and the big bluesy cabaret band sound was terrific, including the famous tune for Mack The Knife.

And then came the two singers of the night. Peter Braithwaite has a deliciously playful baritone voice in his rendition of five of Copland’s best-loved old American Songs.

The Boatmen’s Dance, Long Time Ago and Simple Gifts allow the singer full rein in a smooth, mellow vein. Appropriately for EU Election Day, the song The Dodger describes the politician aptly “Yes, the candidate’s a dodger… he’ll meet you, and treat you and ask you for his vote, but look out boys he’s a dodg’in for a note.”

He ended with the mischievous silliness of I Bought Me a Cat, complete with animal impressions.

But the finale of the concert brought the biggest cheers. Nadine Benjamin has a clear high voice which rendered Summertime from Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess beautiful to listen to and her vibrato was pitch perfect. I Got Plenty o’ Nothin’ brought Braithwaite’s light bouncy joviality to the fore and in the duet Bess; You Is My Woman Now, the evening came to a perfect harmonious ending.

Chineke were at the Dome as part of the concluding few days of Brighton Festival.

Review by Brian Butler

PREVIEW: Brighton Gay Men’s Chorus sing ABBA @Spielgeltent

Brighton Gay Men’s Chorus have been invited by the Embassy of Sweden to celebrate Brighton as the city that launched ABBA’s global success and raise money for the Rainbow Fund.

FORTY-five years have passed since April 6, 1974 when ABBA took the world by storm and won the Eurovision Song Contest at the Brighton Dome with their song Waterloo.

The concert takes place in the beautiful setting of the Brighton Spiegeltent on Old Steine and will raise funds for The Rainbow Fund, a Brighton & Hove based grant-giving fund for local LGBT+ and HIV organisations.

Start off your bank holiday weekend supporting Brighton Gay Men’s Chorus as they return once more to Brighton Fringe with all your favourite ABBA tunes, while raising money for a great cause.

The Rainbow Fund give grants to local LGBT+ and HIV organisations who provide effective front line services to LGBT+ people in Brighton & Hove.


Event: Brighton Gay Men’s Chorus sing ABBA

Where: Brighton Spiegeltent, Old Steine, Brighton

When: Saturday, May 25

Time: 5pm – 5.45pm

Cost: Free entry donations requested for Rainbow Fund.

To reserve at place in the Spiegeltent, click here:

‘City Angels’ a Pride initiative for the city

Brighton & Hove Pride announce City Angels, a new initiative to promote closer working partnerships between local retailers, restaurants, hotels other city businesses and Pride.

THE year-round campaign will see Brighton & Hove Pride promote Brighton’s retail and hospitality economy, whilst asking those businesses that benefit from the £20.5m+ that is spent over the Brighton Pride weekend to engage their civic pride and get involved through the Pride City Angels programme.

Some of the Benefits members will receive include:
♦ Official City Angel merchandise material to display their support and stand out from the crowd – rainbow flag, window sticker and digital versions for social media and websites.
♦ Listing on the City Angels page on Brighton Pride website as well as on the City Angels website
listings on advertisements and in editorials celebrating City Angels in Brighton media outlets and in the annual Pride Magazine.
♦ Inclusion in social media campaigns around City Angels with links to supporters pages.
♦ Increased visibility to city visitors identifying you as a City Angel.

City Angels will be asked to commit to uphold the Pride City Angel pledge that includes:
♦ Keeping the front of their business area clean, tidy and litter free and encouraging customers and staff to dispose of their litter responsibly
♦ Being vigilant to hate crime incidents and actively report incidents to the police
♦ Being fully supportive of LGBT+ initiatives and events that take place in Brighton & Hove
♦ Being a City Angel champion and encouraging other businesses to sign up

Starting at just £100, annual memberships costs will bedependent on the sector and size of your business.

100% of the profits from City Angels memberships is reinvested in to city and communities. Whether it is through reducing waste in events supply chains, silent disco beach cleans, sponsoring bins, or consumer-focused campaigns to reduce littering – there is plenty for everyone to do – and as everyone focusses their efforts greater benefits are bought for everyone.

Funds raised to support these initiatives, and a range of existing good causes that have local social impact (for example, those already funded through Pride’s Social Impact Fund) will be done transparently and easily using existing funding mechanisms.

The City Angels Pledge – Respect · Pride · Unity
RESPECT (IN) OUR CITY – respect for the city (environmental), also respect for each other and for people in the city
PRIDE IN OUR CITY – we’re proud of our city and want to look after it; this also represents Pride.
UNITY IN OUR CITY – we’re united with each other in the city – we look out for each other and won’t tolerate hate

Founding members of the initiative include: The Hilton Brighton Metropole, Brighton & Hove Albion, Legends, Brighton & Hove Buses, Shooshh.

Supporting organisations include: Visit Brighton and Brilliant Brighton

For more information, click here:

‘Out to Swim’ brave low sea temperatures

Over twenty swimmers from Out to Swim South, braved their first sea swim of 2019 in water temperatures of 13c at Hove seafront last month.

THEY were joined by team members from London and a few from the local Salty Birds swimming groups.

A mixed variety of swimmers took to the sea in Hove, with some completing over a mile, while others swam a short distance, or just a few minutes for a splash around.

It was all about being together and getting in the sea followed by a hearty lunch.

Future dates for sea swims will be announced soon on social media.

Out to Swim South was established in 2006 as part of the main London aquatic group. They are a group of sociable LGBTQ+ and allies who swim for fun, fitness or competitions, and provide a friendly environment for those who prefer the social aspect of the club, in the Brighton & Hove and Sussex area.

There are three sessions a week of which at least two are coached.

All members share an enthusiasm to improve with like minded people and be part of an LGBT+ inclusive club.

Women and men swim inclusive and non gender specific, Out to Swim South,  has people of all ages, from 20s to 60s.

Out to Swim South is open to everyone with a positive attitude. The club is for adults and those under 18 are not able to participate.

New members are always welcome to share in the strong social aspect to the club with weekly pub sessions on Saturdays and regular socials.

Feel free to go along to any of their sessions on Mondays from 8.30pm – 9.30pm, Thursdays 7.30 – 8.30 at Prince Regent Pool in Brighton and from 5pm-8.30pm on Saturday at Roedean School Pool.

For more information and costs: click here: https://www.outtoswim.org/brighton/

Post swim drinks at Charles Street Tap
Post swim drinks at Charles Street Tap

FILM REVIEW: Just Friends

As the summer approaches, if you want a feel-good gay romance film, you could do worse than look up Nuts and Bolts Films 80 minute Just Friends.

MADE in Dutch with English sub-titles, it’s a fairly predictable tale of boy meets boy; boy falls in love with boy; boy falls out of love with boy; parents on both sides object to the romance; boys fall back into love – happy ending.

And that’s pretty much all you need to know. Majd Mardo is Yad, a straggly-haired medical school dropout, who is a disappointment to his Syrian refugee parents. Joris, played by Josha Stradowski is a shaven-headed moody, cautious innocent son of a dead architect and very rich, alcoholic mother, who thinks more of her regular cosmetic surgery than she does of her little lost boy.

A chance meeting leads to a tentative series of liaisons and the inevitable sexual experimentation in amongst the surfing club sailboards.

But parental pressures and Yad’s reluctance to face up to his gayness lead the couple to part. But as in all good dramas, there’s a matchmaker in the shape of Joris’s feisty Jewish grandma, who also just happens to have Yad as her cleaner/carer.

And so the tale unfolds as a story of prejudice of various kinds – the haters in the diner who start a fight with Joris when he and Yad hold hands and the prejudice of Joris’s mother against the refugees in this small Dutch hamlet.

Beautifully filmed against a constant backdrop of wind turbines and a mellow romantic music backing, it’s worth a view, even if it is just a little bit too good to be true.

Just Friends is out now on dvd and on video on demand from June 3.

Review by Brian Butler

 

Fringe THEATRE REVIEW: We apologise for the inconvience @The Warren

The multi-million best-selling author Douglas Adams has written 3 Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy books, radio and tv series. But he has reached a crisis – not for the first time – writer’s block.

AS his publisher’s deadline looms, he has been held a virtual prisoner in an hotel by his editor until the book surfaces. Trouble is he hasn’t even started it. And there you have the beginning, middle and end of this compact little comedy drama which barely reaches to 45 minutes.

Adam Gardiner is the energetic, arrogant hound Adams – all bathrobe and tousled hair. And at first you think this is just going to be an amusing monologue about creativity and where ideas come from.

But enter his bathroom plastic duck, played larger than life with an American bearish gusto by Robert Stuart-Hudson. In his yellow tail suit, he is everything you would want a writer’s inspiration to be – acrobatic, knock-about, Sharon-witted and full of ideas- most of them crazy.

In a strange parallel universe sequence the duck becomes pimple-smoking novelist P G Wodehouse , author of 92 books to Douglas’s 3 and just a mighty thorn in his flesh.

When the duck returns and the deadline passes, Adams is given true inspiration at last – and subsequently out comes the 4th book of the trilogy (joke) Goodbye And Thanks For All The Fish.

Gardiner’s fresh-faced exuberance and Stuart-Hudson’s resilient optimism make this a fun 45 minutes, however infinitely improbable it may be (Adams fans will understand that reference). No need to panic, but catch it somewhere else on tour if you can.

We Apologise for the inconvenience, written by Mark Griffiths and directed by Ross Kelly, was at The Warren as part of the Brighton Fringe .

Review by Brian Butler

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