Features & Longread Strictly Confidential Strictly Confidential is a song-and-dance extravaganza dreamt up, directed and co-ordinated by Craig Revel Horwood, tell-it-like-it-is judge on BBC1’s runaway hit, Strictly Come Dancing. And it’s coming to a theatre near you. Starring Lisa Riley and professional dancers Artem Chigvintsev, Natalie L By Eric Page • 4 min read
Arts ‘Roma Boys’ to be shown on Community Channel Roma Boys is an inventive, 30min film following the love story of two young men living in the Czech Republic, who face the dual prejudice that comes with identifying as gay and Gypsy. It will be broadcast at 9pm on Wednesday May 8 on the Community Channel. David, a Prague university student and Roma By Eric Page • 1 min read
News The Contents of a House: Preston Manor: Brighton Festival An anti-guided tour around Preston Manor with call backs and internal references, soft dissection and themes of providence and pedigree woven into his narrative I expected something a littler more challenging, however it was a sweet wander around the house and Reder is inoffensively provocative and By Eric Page • 2 min read
Music La bohème: ENO: Opera Review An easy to access La Boheme accomplished and nonthreatening and one for Puccini fans to revel in. A good show to take as your first visit if you’re interested in going along to opera this spring and it’s warm, inviting atmosphere of this quality and assured production is classic ENO at it’s best. By Eric Page • 3 min read
Books Sexy Sailors: Book review This all new collection of gay erotic stories is great steamy fun, with a strong focus of sexy seafaring tales from a collection of established gay erotica writers. A traditional and much lusted after figure, the seaman is the tanned, toned and rugged hunk of many a gay mans fantasy. By Eric Page • 1 min read
Arts The Misanthrope: Theatre Royal: Review English Touring Theatre’s production of Roger McGough’s The Misanthrope is a truly splendid evening: beautifully overstated performances, a mischievous delight in language and more rhyming couplets that you can shake a stick at make for two hours of unalloyed joy. Based loosely on Molière’s verse pl By Eric Page • 2 min read
Books Calvert’s Guide to The British :British stereotypes in order of social rank: Book review This is a great weighty tome of snobbery, a wedge of acid tongued closely observed stereotyping straining with humour against the political correctness of our time, it leaves no stone unthrown in it’s pursuit of a deeply revealing snapshot of the British as they are today. By Eric Page • 3 min read
News Passion Play: Theatre Royal: Review Passion Play succeeds by dint of a playfully witty script, some intriguing ideas about the nature of monogamy and four heartfelt, emotionally rich performances. By Eric Page • 2 min read
Arts The 39 Steps: Theatre Royal: Theatre Review Patrick Barlow’s adaptation of Hitchcock’s thriller is a likeable spoof, and an affectionate tribute to the original film, in which a cast of four play over a 100 roles. It’s won an Olivier and two Tonys and has the self-confidence to bill itself as ‘the world’s favourite comedy’. By Eric Page • 2 min read
Books Spartacus International Gay Guide 2013/14: Book review Universally recognised as the best gay travel guide, 2013/14 Spartacus International Gay Guide has everything gay men need to know when visiting any country in the world. It includes maps, transport, accommodation, beaches, cruising areas, restaurants and nightlife. By Eric Page • 2 min read
News Abigail’s Party: Theatre Royal: Theatre review As with all Mike Leighs’ work this is about the dissection of a certain type of triumph of self delusion and the spearing of pretension and on this level it wins. One for the fans! By Eric Page • 3 min read
Music London Philharmonic Orchestra at the Dome I was pleasantly surprised to see such a full audience on a cold, wet and windy night in Brighton to hear the London Philharmonic Orchestra perform, conducted by David Parry. True, the programme was a crowd pleaser – Beethoven 5, Schumann’s Cello Concerto and Elgar’s Enigma Variations – ‘nothing we By Eric Page • 3 min read
