800 Not Out: eight years of writing previews, reviews and interviewing entertainment makers

In this, my 800th article for Scene magazine, I look back at the last eight years of writing previews, reviews and doing interviews with entertainment makers.

Article one was in May 2017 at Brighton Fringe – Joe Orton’s murderously funny Ruffian On The Stair at the Lantern Theatre – a show memorable for the lead actor wandering about in CK white undies.

I’ve interviewed well over 100 creative people and I’ll pick the top five. International actor singer and cabaret star Ute Lemper was without doubt my biggest coup. And I’m still not sure why she agreed to give me an exclusive interview ahead of her show at Brighton’s Old Market.

She was honest, open, funny and very easy to get on with. Her show about meeting Marlene Dietrich was spellbinding.

Star Trek legend and queer activist George Takei was probably equal first. Again it was his honesty, friendliness and fearlessness that came across.

You do not often live in the next street to a two-times Olivier award winner but that was the case with choreographer/director Stephen Mear. His career has covered the West End, Paris and currently Broadway where he is working with the cast of Sondheim’s Old Friends, including the legendary Bernadette Peters and Lea Salonga.

Ty Jeffries’ dark and funny creation – the highly damaged Miss Hope Springs is a brilliant cabaret invention.

And the fifth choice I will come to at the end of this article.

Let’s start with impressions, impersonations, and tributes.

I first saw Peter Groom at the Edinburgh Fringe in his breathtaking recreation of Marlene Dietrich and later at the now deceased Rialto Theatre, Brighton. His depiction was absolutely perfect. Former Hi-de-Hi star Jeffrey Holland has created a heartfelt, sad/happy portrayal of Stan Laurel during the final days of his partner Oliver Hardy‘s life. If you haven’t caught it yet, you really should.

Rick Skye and Steven Brinberg when they team up, bring double magic recreating on stage the look and sound of Liza Minnelli and Barbra Streisand. Sometimes if you close your eyes the divas are really here. Debbie Wileman is a brilliant creator of the world of Judy Garland – perfect delivery with a touch of dark wit.

Brighton-based Andrew Farr reincarnates an Edith Piaf at the end of her life that’s perfectly pitched.

Cabaret covers a multitude of styles. Andrew Pepper creates a class act, with amazing energy, dark camp humour, and a stunning vocal range.

I love small-scale theatre. Doing lots with little, it struggles financially but when it’s good it’s very good. Dan Ireland-Reeves is masterful in creating sexual electricity in his monodramas Bleach and Sauna Boy. Alexis Gregory presents brilliant one-person shows in small spaces. His Riot Act, about gay activism and his look ahead in FutureQueer are mesmerising.

Musical theatre is my first love.

The feisty all-female Six The Musical has to be top of the list – and I admit when the brilliant publicist Kevin Wilson suggested it, I knew it was not for me. How wrong could I be? It’s loud, spirited, funny and in your face – brilliant.

Queer musicals are rare. Everybody’s Talking About Jamie which I saw first starring Layton Williams and then with Ivano Turco, is perhaps the best example. Dear Evan Hansen is a problem musical, dealing as it does with deceit, lies and fake news through the social media. I saw Ben Platt originate the part on Broadway but at Theatre Royal Brighton his performance was surpassed by Ryan Kopel.

At Chichester there have been outstanding productions of Gypsy (Imelda Staunton), Mack and Mabel (Michael Ball), Sweeney Todd (with Ball and Staunton) and South Pacific – another problematical musical – with the always brilliant Julian Ovenden.

TV series Strictly and RuPaul’s Drag Race have provided interviewees aplenty – dancer Johannes Radebe stands out – but I’ve also met dance creators like the stunning Andrea Walker – shockingly in your face with his Queer Street dance. RuPaul stars The Vivienne, Ginger Johnson and Jinx Monsoon are just a few who I’ve interviewed, bringing drag to a new level.

Everyone has a story to tell. I have heard and seen dazzling stories – people overcoming obstacles, prejudice, hatred and eventually realising their true selves.

And in the film world, 5 stars for the annual Iris Prize LGBTQ+ film festival and to queer film distributor Peccadillo Pictures, who celebrate 20 years this year. My outstanding film is Swan Song where a retired hairdresser and drag queen gets one last job. Catch it if you can.

Let’s go back to studio spaces where highly creative work is done.

My top list would be the now-gone Rialto Theatre in Brighton and Above The Stag at London’s Vauxhall. And I’ve also seen great shows at Brighton’s Ironworks studios, London’s Union Theatre, Southwark Playhouse, Waterloo East and Charing Cross. Long may they and producers like Richard Lambert flourish especially when they produce queer art and with queer creative teams.

In Brighton we are blessed with choral groups – LGBTQ+ Actually Gay Mens Chorus, Brighton Gay Men’s Chorus, the amazingly inclusive Rainbow Chorus and Resound and its female ally choir Rebelles.

I’ve witnessed them grow, prosper and expand their repertoire – how lucky we are in Brighton to have them.

And finally a few words about the Brighton drag scene, which is rejuvenating and reinventing itself with newer talent like drag saxophonist Snow White Trash, and drag prince Alfie Ordinary, bringing new slants to this traditional form of entertainment.

The rather special Dave Lynn has just celebrated 50 years in show business and of course we are currently mourning the loss of the most long-lived member of the drag family – David Raven aka Maisie Trollette, whom I interviewed in 2019, and who makes up my top five. RIP to him and drag royalty Jason Sutton aka Miss Jason and the untimely loss of the amazingly talented The Vivienne.

With Brighton Fringe round the corner, the 800 mark will soon be surpassed – I’ll remind you again when I get to 1000.