Arts BOOK REVIEW: Aphra Behn: A Secret Life by Janet Todd This book look at the astonishing life, work and history of Aphra Behn: 17th century dramatist, poet, novelist, political propagandist, bisexual writer, and spy. Behn, a spy, was the first professional woman writer. The most prolific dramatist of her age, innovative novelist, translator, lyrical an By Eric Page • 1 min read
Arts Men must stop behaving badly Men should start behaving themselves was the message from University of Brighton honorary doctorate Paris Lees, who has become the first openly transgender person to feature in the British Vogue magazine. By Gary Hart • 1 min read
Arts Council set to freeze library charges City councillors are set to vote in favour of freezing library charges for next year. Despite the council having to make savings of £23 million over the next two years, all fees and charges, including concessions, in the council’s 14 libraries will be held at this year’s prices. By Besi • 2 min read
Arts BOOK REVIEW: Fathomless Riches by Rev Richard Coles This book is a wonderful headlong lurch from one world to another with a candid enquiring mind in the driving seat and well worth the read. Part confession, part damnation this very modern memoir impresses. The result is one of the most unusual and readable life stories of recent times, and has the By Eric Page • 2 min read
Books BOOK REVIEW: Grindr Survivr by Andrew Londyn Grindr Survivr: gives some practical insight in to how to cope and flourish in the app’mosphere and also points out the behavioural change that’s underway whether we like it or not. The autor suggests we can change it. We have done it before in other situations, but we need to look at ourselves, By Eric Page • 2 min read
Books BOOK REVIEW: Cheer up Love by Susan Calman I adore her, not just for her ability to tell a difficult story with engaging hope but also to be honest enough about her pain to allow me to learn and little about being a more supportive person to depressed people in the future. By Eric Page • 2 min read
Books BOOK REVIEW: Your Silence Will Not Protect You by Audre Lorde Her lyrical and incisive prose takes on sexism, racism, homophobia, and class; reflecting struggle but ultimately offering messages of hope that remain ever-more trenchant today. Lorde was a Poet Laureate until her death; her poetry and prose together produced an aphoristic and incomparably quotable By Eric Page • 1 min read
Arts New book delves into performance and identity Reader in dance at Edge Hill University authors new book and two high-profile book chapters, exploring various aspects of performance and identity including drag, contemporary dance and queer art-making. The book, Mesearch and the Performing Body, is written by Dr Mark Edward and is an anthology of By Alice Blezard • 2 min read
Arts REVIEW: An Audience with Armistead Maupin @Theatre Royal This was an unforgettable evening with the Tales of the City author celebrating the launch of his long-awaited memoir Logical Family. From his early life in the conservative South to liberal San Francisco, from his palm-reading Grannie to an awkward chat about girls with President Nixon, Armistead M By Eric Page • 3 min read
Arts BOOK REVIEW: A Marvellous Party by Ian Elmslie He shares his respect and joy of the Queer icons who have inspired him, and given him the strength to get through the the tough time, he shares the things he has learned and with insight and amusement and some honest passages that are heart-warming. By Eric Page • 2 min read
Arts Toupie Lowther: Her life by Val Brown: Book Launch Local author Val Brown launched her new book last night. This book is an insightful new biography of Toupie Lowther who appears as a walk-on character in many biographies of Radclyffe Hall and Una Troubridg but is a most fascinating woman in her own right. By Eric Page • 2 min read
Arts PREVIEW: Polari Literary Salon turns ten London’s multi-award-winning LGBT literary salon Polari turns ten on November 24 with a special event at London’s Southbank Centre. Founded in 2007 in a bar in Soho, Polari moved to the Southbank in 2009 and also tours regularly, funded by Arts Council England. By Besi • 1 min read
