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Q&A video: How has gay culture changed since Coming Clean’s 1982 premiere?

In Features, Interviews, London theatre, Native, Opinion, Plays, Quotes, Special Events, Video by Terri PaddockLeave a Comment

In the first of my two back-to-back King’s Head Theatre post-show Q&As, I was at Trafalgar Studios for the West End premiere of Kevin Elyot’s first play, Coming Clean, 37 years after the actor-turned-writer made his playwriting debut with it at London’s Bush Theatre.

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New post-show Q&A: Join Terri for the West End transfer of Kevin Elyot’s Coming Clean

In Interviews, London theatre, Native, Plays, Special Events, Ticket recommendations by Terri PaddockLeave a Comment

As part of her ongoing post-show Q&A series, on Wednesday 16 January 2019, Mates co-founder Terri Paddock is back at Trafalgar Studios again for the West End transfer of the King’s Head Theatre’s acclaimed 35th-anniversary revival of Coming Clean. Got any questions?

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TWILIGHT SONG – Park Theatre

In London theatre, Opinion, Plays, Reviews by Johnny FoxLeave a Comment

Sadly, despite a few crisp one-liners and a catchy title I’m surprised was never used elsewhere, Twilight Song emerges as a frail Rattiganesque slice of sixties’ repressed sexuality contrasted with an awkward contemporary tryst between Adam Garcia’s cash-strapped estate-agent-turned-hustler and Paul Higgins’ desperate mothers’ boy.

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TWILIGHT SONG – Park Theatre

In London theatre, Opinion, Plays, Reviews by Emma ClarendonLeave a Comment

Barry’s relationship with his mother is at best difficult, but as we delve into their family history it soon becomes clear the depth of resentment that Isabella has had for events that have taken place in her life such as the loss of a child and a distant (as it turns out gay) husband and her constant struggle to accept the way her life has turned out.

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I WENT TO A FABULOUS PARTY – King’s Head

In Edinburgh Festival, London theatre, Plays, Reviews by Johnny FoxLeave a Comment

Fridays aren’t serious reviewing nights and the friend who suggested this piece to me described it as “some shit for gays” which despite our shared and enthusiastic homosexuality is the shorthand we use for frothy-to-filthy comedies of the sort often presented at venues in Vauxhall. But the King’s Head was on the way to a nice restaurant, so what the hell, and it’s a preview for the Edinburgh Fringe which may save me the bother of two urticarious weeks in midge-ridden Scotland.

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42 late theatre greats who we should stop and remember

In Awards, Features, Opinion, Photos by Terri PaddockLeave a Comment

The most moving moment for me every year at the Olivier Awards ceremony is the tribute sequence, during which the industry remembers colleagues who have passed away during the previous 12 months. This year’s tribute was a musical one, with Julian Ovenden singing (beautifully) “Smile and the World Smiles With You”, accompanied by choir and […]

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Diary of theatrical addiction: farewell to Hytner & Donmar in duplicate

In Features, London theatre, Musicals, Opinion, Plays by Mark ShentonLeave a Comment

In Twelve-step fellowships, it’s a common practice to do regular personal inventories that help you to own the consequences of your addiction, to yourself and others, and remind you of the benefits of staying ‘sober’. This now weekly column is a personal inventory of a sort, too, but this, at least, is an addiction I happily embrace. Last weekend I wrote here of having seen 10 shows in the previous seven days; this week I’ve seen a more modest seven shows, and had three whole nights off from the theatre, though was involved in theatre-related activities on each of them instead.

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