Josh Reynolds, a regular guest at Queer as Joke events in Birmingham, has been nominated for the Breaking Talent Award 2023 at this year’s Birmingham Comedy Festival.
Raised “all over Staffordshire”, Reynolds currently lives in Newcastle-Under-Lyme, and their stand-up début was a five-minute spot alongside several poets at a scratch night at Mitchell Arts Centre, in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, in January 2020. Since then, they have continued to develop their comedy, and appearing on the line-up of several Queer as Joke comedy nights, including their appearance at Chase Pride.
Alongside Josh Reynolds, the shortlisted acts for the Breaking Talent Award include; Hasan Al-Habib, Rachel Baker, Joe Bingham and Chris Yates who are “a hand-picked selection of the very best emerging acts from across the region compete for the prestigious annual title.”
The West Midlands’ biggest comedy prize – supported by The Arcadian – will be held Friday, October 6 from 8.15pm in the Glee Club’s Studio, and will be judged by a panel that includes Rhys Foley (NextUp Comedy), Jo Enright (comedian/actor), The Glee Club and Birmingham Comedy Festival. The event will also feature MC James Cook, and a special closing set from Josh Jones.
Birmingham-based artist and HIV activist Garry Jones is one of three faces leading National AIDS Trust’s (NAT) Rock the Ribbon campaign for World AIDS Day 2023. Jones was pivotal in conceptualising, campaigning for and fundraising for Birmingham’s HIV & AIDS Memorial alongside several other campaigners. Additionally, he has led various other projects including the Birmingham HIV Memorial Quilts which have been on display across the city.
Garry Jones was chosen to be the face of this year’s World AIDS Day campaign alongside Louise Vallace (53), an intersectional wellness coach from London; and Eli Fitzgerald (24), a youth support worker from Chippenham in Wiltshire whose role at the charity Positively UK supports young people living with HIV to have a voice and provide a safe space where they can speak openly about HIV.
Garry Jones
Speaking to Scene, Garry Jones said: “It’s a privilege and an honour to be asked to be one of the faces of this year’s NAT’s World AIDS Day campaign. Up until designing The Ribbons, Birmingham’s AIDS & HIV Memorial, I’d always been very secretive about being HIV positive which, looking back, only added to the stigma, prejudice, self-loathing and blame. I’ve come to realise that HIV is only a virus that anyone can get, so why should I feel ashamed?
“By taking part in the campaign I hope to challenge the ignorance and the fears surrounding HIV by showing that effective treatment makes you undetectable. This enables you to lead a full, active and long life and means you cannot pass the virus on… Undetectable = Untransmissible. Being open about my status has empowered me and I hope that my story will help others living with HIV.”
Deborah Gold
Deborah Gold, Chief Executive of NAT, adds: “We are extremely proud to have Garry, as well as Louise and Eli, leading our World AIDS Day 2023 campaign. All three are inspiring individuals who strive to make the world a better place for people living with HIV in their own unique way. Garry has made such a huge impact in Birmingham and beyond and we’re delighted to partner with him.
“For this year’s World AIDS Day, our imagery represents the power of community and encourages others to stand in solidarity with all people living with HIV. We celebrate the rich history of HIV activism, led by people who refuse to let HIV stigma stand in the way of progress.
“World AIDS Day is about joining together for those impacted by HIV, past and present, and call for a better future. To find out ways you can #RockTheRibbon with us HERE.”
Chase Pride returned to Hednesford Park for its second year on Saturday, September 2 with Danny Beard once again headlining. Opening officially on Friday, September 1 with a community movie screening of Matilda, Chase Pride 2023 opened its gates to around 8,000 visitors from 11am on Saturday. While from 12pm a parade made its way from the park, through the streets before returning to Hednesford Park.
The event offered a marketplace with stalls selling a range of crafts, treats, and other items, a variety food and drink stalls, and two stages of performers. On the Localz stage there were performances from Mia, Angela Slice, Rox C, Miss Gina Tonic, Carys Louise, Big 3 Productions, Glitch Please, and Queer As Joke. While on the mainstage, named in Brianna Ghey’s honour, there were performances from Nate Ethan, Cystal Dance Academy, La Dharma, George Windsor, Rogue Minogue, Kate Meyher, Rocketman, Vicki Vivacious, Angie Brown, Jaymi Hendsley, and Danny Beard.
Walsall Pride 2023 returned for its second year in the Arboretum Extension over the bank holiday weekend, on Saturday, August 26. Celebrating its 11th year, after launching in 2012, the borough’s Pride featured a main stage (sponsored by the Saddler Shopping Centre), the Lion Bar & Club Dance Tent, and Cabaret Marquee (sponsored by Poundland and organised by the Red Lion). The event also featured stalls, information booths, food vans, two bars, and a dedicated photo booth for capturing Pride memories.
The mainstage boasted a line-up that included Faye Bagley, Marcella Woods, Smashby, Kelly Wilde, Starstruck, and more including the winner of Pride’s Got Talent. In the dance tent, visitors enjoyed music from DJs including; Kate Meyher, Becki De Funk, Joe Hunt and more. While the headliner for the Cabaret Stage, Baga Chipz, was proceeded by a line-up of talented drag performers including Linda Matthews, Twiggy, Ebony Kruger, Tanya Hyde, and more.
Matthew Morris-Higgins, of Walsall Pride’s organising team, told the Express & Star: “Walsall Pride continues to grow every year. It creates a space for the town to come together and celebrate diversity.”
Comedian Joe Lycett’s mischievous live entertainment show, Late Night Lycett, which broadcast from Birmingham, has been recommissioned for a second series. In series one, Joe combined some of the biggest names in show-business – including Dame Joan Collins, Dame Joanna Lumley, Richard E. Grant, Munroe Bergdorf,Alison Hammond and many more – with fun inclusivity which celebrated the city and its diversity, shining a light on local stars including Yshee Black and Don One. Channel 4 will once again return to Digbeth, on the canal banks of Birmingham after the success of the first series.
Joe Lycett said: “The first series of Late Night Lycett was the most fun I’ve ever had making TV. From Paul Chuckle destroying my local corner shop to Katherine Ryan being trapped on a floating barge, the whole thing feels like a crazed fever dream. I can’t wait to go bigger and wilder in series two.”
Late Night Lycett saw +35% up on Individual Share and +126% for 16-34s against the Monday to Sunday 10pm slot average. Thanks to its immense success, the live entertainment show is due to air in 2024 with a further six, 60-minute episodes produced by Rumpus Media and My Options Were Limited. This new series commission also follows on from the announcement that Late Night Lycett Christmas Special (working title) is due to air later this year.
Phil Harris, Head of Entertainment Commissioning at Channel 4, said: “The first series of Late Night Lycett was a blast of classic Channel 4 anarchy while also breaking new ground in live comedy entertainment. We are so proud of this show, and we can’t wait to create more Friday night chaos with Joe, the brilliant team at Rumpus and, of course, Linda Biscuits.”
Birmingham Pride, in partnership with West Midlands Police (WMP), is launching a new partnership to tackle issues surrounding hate crime reporting, which will launch with The Loft bar becoming a hub where those who have experienced or witnessed a hate crime can report the incident.
“There already exists these third party hate crime reporting schemes, with Birmingham LGBT Centre being one of them,” explains Birmingham Pride’s Eva Echo, talking to Scene magazine, “But we’re looking to kind of almost remodel it slightly because especially where Birmingham LGBT Centre is, it’s quite exposed; it’s on the main road and when people go in, you’re basically outing yourself to whoever’s going by. And also, people don’t necessarily feel safe because of the underpass that’s just outside.
“So, the initiative is, we’re turning The Loft, in the heart of the village, into a third-party hate crime hub. As well as having third-party hate crime reporting facilities with trained and dedicated members of staff, we’ll also act as go-between, between WMP and the victims of hate crime.”
With the person’s permission, the members of staff at The Loft’s hub will also be able to get updates on the case, or ask the police to ring the person directly with updates.
“Most importantly, it’s that safety aspect” Eva adds, “Because from the outside, you’re going in and it just looks like you’re having a drink or meeting some friends or something like that. So, it’s much more discrete and you don’t have to out yourself.
“Although it will primarily be LGBTQ+ hate crime, anybody who maybe feels a bit vulnerable going into hate crime reporting areas in their own communities can at least come here and again it’s more discrete.”
Eva Echo
Innayah Aziz, ASB and Hate Crime Officer for WMP, added: “We know that some people affected by hate crime may not feel comfortable reporting an incident directly to police. Third Party Reporting Centres allow anyone who has experienced or witnessed a hate crime to report it to trained staff at their nearest centre which will then be sent directly and confidentially to the police.
“It is fantastic to have The Loft as a Third Party Reporting Centre to help everyone in the community report incidents as well as get advice and support on hate crime. Together we can end hate.”
Birmingham Pride will also partner with an organisation called Remedy, that offers support services as part of their triage for those experiencing hate crime. Remedy will offer free ongoing support, including how to seek counselling, signposting to various groups, as well as helping prepare people for court.
Eva Echo also explains that the initiative aims to build a bridge between the community, and the police and criminal justice system, so that the public have a better understanding of its workings and are aware of limitations, for example with CCTV.
The partnership will also offer victims of hate crime a form of closure, “if a case can’t proceed for whatever reason, then a part of this will be to say ‘these are the reason why this is why we couldn’t take it forward’.” Additionally, cases where there are no convictions or any sort of prosecution, will still feed into the data and statistics.
“It is fantastic to have The Loft as a Third Party Reporting Centre to help everyone in the community report incidents as well as get advice and support on hate crime. Together we can end hate.”
As well as reporting cases of hate crime, Eva Echo stresses that people can also report hate incidents or cases where they are unsure, so that these too will be recorded in the statistics.
“If there are increases or if there are any trends, at least we can deal with it if we’re aware of it, but at the moment without statistics, it’s literally the community saying, police need to do better, but the police are like ‘Well, what do you want us to do? We can’t do anything.’”
The partnership will be community-led, allowing for feedback and suggestions from the public, including through a survey to be launched further down the line.
While Birmingham Pride are aware that a partnership with WMP may cause a backlash from the community due to historic trauma, Eva Echo explains: “We can’t let that overshadow the work the needs doing to go forwards. LGBTQ+ hate crime is on a rise. So, we need to do something otherwise the only ones that lose out are us.”
Birmingham Hippodrome has announced that Deirdre O’Halloran will be joining them as the Head of New Musical Theatre. The first UK venue to launch an in-house department dedicated to musical theatre, O’Halloran will head the Birmingham Hippodrome’s development of new musicals for the West Midlands.
Prior to this appointment, O’Halloran was the Literary Manager at the Bush Theatre from 2018, where she designed and implemented artist development programmes, and took the lead on dramaturgy for all commissioned work.
Highlights of the work O’Halloran produced at the Bush Theatre include; Anoushka Lucas’s debut play with songs Elephant, August In England by West Midlands icon Sir Lenny Henry, the Olivier Award-winning The P Word by Waleed Akhtar, and winner of the Susan Smith Blackburn Award Lava by Benedict Lombe. Other work in development at the Bush includes Sparrow Girl, a new musical written by Chris Bush and Maimuna Memon.
When she starts her new role in October, Deirdre O’Halloran will grow a specialist team and collaborate with creatives and partners to create new production opportunities in Birmingham and beyond. The dedicated department will develop, commission and produce new musicals as part of the Hippodrome’s core business, alongside offering skills development, employment, and a new Writers Lab, supporting the national new musical theatre community and more sustainable career pathways in musical theatre.
Jon Gilchrist, Artistic Director and Chief Executive of Birmingham Hippodrome, said: “Dee is a theatre marvel: her compassion for and understanding of artists, combined with a rare dramaturgical insight, make her the perfect pioneer to lead this new department. I am certain that her love and understanding of musical theatre will help ignite a new generation of writers and composers. I am also delighted that the brilliant Vicky Graham will be continuing with us as the department becomes a reality.”
Deirdre added: “Birmingham Hippodrome is a venue that is fizzing with ambition and passion for musical theatre and I am delighted to be heading up this brand-new department to develop new musicals for a range of scales and platforms. There is a huge contingent of talented and dedicated musical theatre artists in the UK and I am so excited to make the Hippodrome their home, a place to develop their craft and make brilliant new work.”
Featured Image Credit: Clayton Lee by Beverly Leung
Clayton Lee will be joining Fierce Festival’s team as the new artistic director after Aaron Wright left in the spring to become Head of Performance and Dance at the Southbank Centre, London.
Clayton will start his role in October 2023, a year ahead of the festival in October 2024, working alongside the newly structured leadership team Catherine Groom as Operations Director, and Pippa Frith as Producing Director.
Clayton is a Canadian curator, producer, and performance artist who, since 2019, has been the Director of Buddies in Bad Times Theatre’s Rhubarb Festival, which is Canada’s longest-running festival of new and experimental performance. During this time, he delivered four festivals. Clayton has also worked as Creative Producer on Jess Dobkin’s projects, including You’re Divine as part of Fierce’s Healing Gardens of Bab programme and For What It’s Worth, her large-scale commission at the Wellcome Collection. Further information on Clayton’s work can found on the Fierce Festival website.
Of his appointment, Clayton said: “Fierce has long captured my imagination, introducing me to the cutting edge of practice and shaping my curatorial interests. To join the Fierce constellation in this moment with this team as Director (Artistic) is as thrilling as it is surreal. As I begin the move from Canada to the UK, I cannot wait to dive into the Birmingham and the Midlands contexts, while continuing to forefront Fierce’s values of Trust, Joy, Disruption, and Rigour as we collectively interrogate and explore what a Festival can be.”
Paul Burns, Fierce’s Chair, added: “The board and I are thrilled to welcome Clayton to the Fierce team. We had an exceptional range of candidates from across four continents apply for the role of Director (Artistic), reflecting Fierce’s strong reputation in the international performance sector. Clayton impressed us with his strong values, extensive experience and clear passion for Fierce’s work. His enthusiasm to more deeply get to know Birmingham and to start to make plans for the 2024 festival has already demonstrated to us that we’ve made a great choice.
“Clayton’s appointment into our new organisational leadership model, alongside Catherine and Pippa, offers an opportunity to build on a significant last 18 months, that saw us engaging with some exceptional artists and a range of new audience members, through our 25th anniversary festival and major projects in Birmingham and across the UK.
“We’re excited to see how Clayton’s infectious energy and vision will create many more opportunities for audiences to experience extraordinary and transformational performance in the coming years.”
A round table on Opt-Out HIV and hepatitis testing across the West Midlands, held on Tuesday, July 25 at Birmingham City Council House, honoured the work of two local HIV activists and campaigners.
Artist Garry Jones and Positive Peers project lead, Rachel Greaves, were honoured with awards for their work on The Ribbons, Birmingham AIDS and HIV Memorial (BAHM). Presented by Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands, the awards were “in recognition of your contribution to the West Midlands through BAHM.”
Garry Jones told Scene magazine: “It was an unexpected surprise and great to be recognised for our hard work for The Ribbons. It was also wonderful that West Midlands are coming together to get Opt-Out HIV testing in A&E.”
The awards were presented as part of a larger event addressing the rolling out of Opt-Out HIV and hepatitis testing across West Midlands A&E; a scheme which saw over 2,000 new diagnoses in the first year when funding was allocated as part of the Government’s HIV Action Plan for the highest prevalence areas of London, Brighton, Manchester and Blackpool.
Terrence Higgins Trust, Saving Lives, HIV clinicians, Positive Peers, BAHM, members of Parliament, and Andy Street came together to stress the lifesaving potential of Opt-Out HIV and hepatitis testing in A&E across the West Midlands.
Terrence Higgins Trust reported that “Five out of seven boroughs in the West Midlands have a ‘high’ prevalence of HIV – Wolverhampton, Coventry, Sandwell, Birmingham and Walsall. But the region is currently missing out on opt-out blood borne virus testing — it would cost just £1.6 million a year to implement it.”
Andy Street called for this testing to be expanded to the West Midlands, a call which echoed his sentiment from late in 2022. He said: “Sadly HIV still affects local people living here in the place we all call home and we know opt-out HIV testing can save and change lives.”
The Birmingham community have come together to arrange a fundraiser for fellow drag performer and Access Lead for Birmingham Pride, Emma Round, better known by their drag king stage name, Crip Ladywood. The show entitled Crip L in Needparodies the Children in Need style, and will be a fundraiser to help support Crip Ladywood, following a difficult year for them and their wife Shek.
In January, they got hit by a car in a hit and run, which resulted in brain damaged, that has left them with transient hemiparesis and occasionally full neck down paresis. The driver can’t be traced as the cameras nearby were fake. Then, in July, Emma and Shek’s home was burgled while they were out at a show.
The perpetrators forced entry into the house and stole everything of value including much of Crip Ladywood’s drag which is sadly not covered by their contents or performers insurance. To add even further financial burden to the struggles that are already impacting their health, Emma’s powerchair, which had been struggling since the hit and run in January, died and they are now in need of a new one.
Emma has been a wheelchair user and active disability liberation campaigner for over 14 years, and has extensive experience with wheelchair services, motability and Access to Work, however, unfortunately “we are either not eligible, can’t get full funding, or can’t afford the monthly money we’d lose,” they explain.
For this reason, a Paypal fundraiser pageand fundraising event to help have been launched. Crip L in Need, “a fundraiser to help a queer in need”, will be held at The Loft in Birmingham on Sunday, August 6 from 6.30pm. The show will feature performances from Alanna Boden, Blanche, Cake Boi, Crip Ladywood, Dahliah Rivers, Fatt Butcher, Ginny Lemon, Jenna Davinci, Misfit, Pork Pie and Peaches Munroe. The show itself is free to attend and audiences are encouraged to donate what they can via the Paypal fundraiser.
In a post from Emma Round, they said: “These absolute icons have come together to throw me a fundraiser and oh my heart. What a bleeding amazing show this is gonna be!”
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