20/02/2013 – Scene Magazine – From the heart of LGBTQ+ Life

Actually Gay Men’s Chorus release new album ‘Somewhere For Me’

Posted on 20/02/201320/02/2013 by Besi

The Actually Gay Men’s Chorus will be performing on Friday, February 22, during February’s inaugural B.Right.On LGBT Arts Festival celebrating LGBT History Month. They will be singing some of their favourite numbers including original arrangements of Albinoni’s Adagio with guest soprano Samantha Howard and Rodriguez’s Concerto De Aranjuez. There will also be a selection of songs from the hit musical Moulin Rouge featuring One day I’ll fly away, Come what may and Roxanne.

The first part of the performance will culminate in a teaser for their forthcoming April show The Music Of The Night – A Celebration of the West End which will be performed at St Andrew’s Church, Waterloo Street in Hove on April 26 and 27.

In part two the boys will be launching their new album Somewhere For Me which includes songs by David Bowie, Radiohead and Nine Inch Nails to name a few. The album was recorded last year for Universal Records and will be available at a discounted price on the night.

Chairman, John Hamilton said:

“The chorus are delighted to be taking part in this new LGBT Art Festival. It’s a great opportunity to showcase favourite repertoire old and new in the wonderful setting of St Mary’s Church, Kemptown, as well as a great opportunity to launch the long awaited album”.

Brighton and Hove’s Actually Gay Men’s Chorus was set up in 2005 with the specific aim of providing a place where gay men could socialise, have fun and develop their vocal and musical skills in a unique environment and perform to the public while raising money for local LGBT charities.

Members benefit from the wide ranging experience of the music team led by musical director Jason Pimblett, their ‘home’ is the beautiful grade one listed St Andrews Church in Waterloo Street, Hove, where they rehearse and present many of their performances.

The chorus are proud to be members of the Actually Community Interest Company, a not for profit organisation that manages them and other community projects including the recently established and hugely successful Actually Gay Women’s Chorus.

For more information about the chorus view:

WHAT:       Brighton and Hove’s Actually Gay Men’s Chorus presents ‘Somewhere for me’
WHERE:   St Mary’s Church, St James Street, Kemptown
WHEN:       Friday, February 22 at 7.30pm
ENTRY:       £8

Hove MP signs Bowel Cancer pledge

Posted on 20/02/2013 by Besi

Beating Bowel Cancer is a British charity that raises awareness of the symptoms of bowel cancer, promotes early diagnosis and encourages open access to treatments. 41,000 people are diagnosed with bowel cancer each year and around 40% of patients die from the disease, which makes it the second biggest cancer killer in the UK.

Mike Weatherley, the Conservative MP for Hove and Portslade, has signed a pledge to improve Care for bowel cancer patients at a reception in the House of Commons.

Mike said:

“It was really enlightening to chat with representatives from Beating Bowel Cancer in Parliament. Most people know someone who has suffered with cancer and it is only right that the NHS strives to provide the best care possible for all cancer patients, including those with bowel cancer.”

For more information on Beating Bowel Cancer and information on the disease, click here:

Brighton Gay Men’s Chorus raise £5622.48 for the Sussex Beacon

Posted on 20/02/2013 by Besi

Brighton Gay Men’s Chorus made a triumphant return to the Brighton Dome in December for their annual Christmas extravaganza Pull A Cracker. This year, the Chorus were joined on stage by acclaimed West End actress Rosie Ashe for a packed out festive evening. For the second year running, the event raised money for the Sussex Beacon with a final total of a staggering £5622.48.

Simon Dowe, CEO of The Sussex Beacon, said:

“Thank you so much to the Brighton Gay Men’s Chorus for raising such a significant sum at their Christmas show. The money raised can pay for 13 people to have an 8 session course of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. This treatment will help alleviate the stress, anxiety and sleep difficulties associated with a positive HIV diagnosis. Thank you for helping us continue our vital work.”

Paul Charlton, Chairman of Brighton Gay Men’s Chorus, said:

“We are delighted to once again raise so much money for such a worthy local cause. ‘Pull a Cracker’ is already one of the highlights of our calendar, but being able to support the Sussex Beacon makes the experience even more special to us.”

The next opportunity to see the Chorus will be Friday 3 and Saturday May 4 at 7.30pm for their Brighton Fringe Festival show entitled Brighton Gay Men’s Chorus: Douze Points! at the Brighthelm Centre, North Road, Brighton.

Go and see the boys as they imagine what might happen should Brighton stage an alternative to the Eurovision Song Contest. This follows the success of their last Fringe show Guilty Treasures, which was tipped as one of the “Highlights of the Fringe 2012″ by whatsonstage.com.

For tickets click here:

Or in person via either Brighton Dome or Brighton Fringe Box Offices.

Goodnight Mister Tom: Theatre Royal: Theatre review

Posted on 20/02/201320/02/2013 by Eric Page

Goodnight Mister Tom by David Wood

Set during the dark and dangerous days of the Second World War, Goodnight Mister Tom from the novel by Michelle Magorian follows sad William Beech, who is evacuated to the idyllic English countryside and builds a remarkable and moving friendship with the elderly recluse Tom Oakley. All seems perfect until William is devastatingly summoned by his mother back to London.

Upon his return his world is turned upside down by the things he’s learned and the new ways of thinking and behaviours his time away from London has taught him.

Winner of the Guardian Children’s Fiction Prize and commended for the Carnegie Medal, this brand new touring production marks the 30th Anniversary of the publication of the novel.

This is a bitter sweet play about neglect, suffering, death, intergenerational support and trust and the ways in which, no matter what our age, we can still learn something new and expand our circle of friends and the introduction of a stranger, can not only be the catalyst for us to explore and experience new emotions and new ways of life, but can also bring new pain. Its central premise about death and life and the ways it both challenges and changes us reminded me of Dickens and of Oliver Twist in particular with its main themes of emotional and physical abuse on the young, both intentional and institutional.

Oliver Ford Davies as Mister Tom brings great sensitivity to the role, showing us the suffering, the dignified pain and eventually the thaw of a man withdrawn from emotional distress with conviction. He also manages to inject a great deal of gentle comedy too using his soft Dorset accent to great effect and this humanised Mister Tom, from his first moments on stage he’s delightful and I was moved by his acting.

Ewan Harris (one of three young actors playing the role) as William was a delight, engaging and believable in his journey from withdrawn abuse to emotional security and William Price as the precocious Zach a crowd pleasing assured presence . Aoife McMahon as the emotionally troubled cruel mother is also worth a mention.

The quick change sets are ration book perfect, all honed muted waste-not want-not and back the action with just the right amount of wartime hint, the soundscapes subtle and ‘Sammy’ a life size dog puppet a delight to watch and was evocatively puppeted by Elisa De Grey.

The first act is a settling in of plot and character, rather sweet and unthreatening until Williams abuse is uncovered where the second act starts a ruthless run of tragedy that hardly stops before the end. This plot momentum ensured the evening raced along.

A lot of folk were visibly moved (tears in the stalls! I ask you….) by the sadder parts of the play but this flinty hearted critic just rolled his eyes at the sentimentality on show, however this is as much a reflection on me as it is on the author. This is a finely crafted piece of work aimed at all ages and patronising no one.

A fantastic evening of great family theatre with some strong performances from the supporting cast of actors and puppeteers, which is unafraid to look at some real world problems, and is all the stronger for its tender honesty.

Until Saturday 23^rd Febuary.

Theatre Royal

New Road

Brighton

For more info or to book tickets see the Theatre Royal website here:

Champion Sports Night

Posted on 20/02/2013 by Besi

On Thursday February 28, Champion, London will have it’s first ever gay monthly sporting social night. Champion is a community event for gay sporting people to come together on the last Thursday of each month for a night of networking, sharing information, recruiting and generally, having a good time.

The Champion launch event will be in aid of London 2018 – the Sports London bid to host the 10th Gay Games in London in 2018 at Manbar, 79 Charing Cross Road, Soho, WC2H 0NE from 6pm. Entry to the venue is always free entry. However, volunteers will be on hand collecting for the London 2018 bid.

Every Champion event will raise money for sporting groups in London. The first three events will benefit London 2018. Sport London is bidding to host the tenth Gay Games in London in 2018. The Gay Games is held every four years, it comprises a week long sports, cultural and human rights event. It’s open to all, regardless of sexual orientation, age, ability and attracts over 12,000 participants from 70 nations – making it the largest sporting event in the world!

The Champion launch will raise much needed funds for the London 2018 bid at the same time raising awareness for all the gay sporting groups in London. On the night punters will be able to find out more information about London’s gay sporting groups.

There will be a fashion show, raffle and prizes given away and all star DJs Rich B and Minx will be spinning dance tunes from 9pm.

Sport London believes that hosting the Gay Games in the London, and using the facilities of the Olympic Park, would create one of the best and brightest Games ever. It was often said during the Olympics that people come to London, not to pretend to be a Londoner, but to be themselves. London brings out the best in people. People feel London gives them the space to express themselves, where they can know themselves, and be the best that they can be. We saw that with the Olympic Spirit, and we wish to demonstrate that once again, in the most diverse city in the world, with London hosting the 2018 Gay Games.