Quote Of The Day

"Victory goes to the player who makes the next-to-last mistake - Chessmaster Savielly Grigorievitch Tartakower (1887-1956)"

Monday, December 31, 2018

Hot Gay Time Machine "Camp as Christmas" ...


Last Saturday night Andrew treated Stuart, Kev, Andy, Alex, Tim, Andy, Michael, Andrew and I to a night out at the theatre in London's glitzy West End.

The term Camp as Christmas has seldom seemed more appropriate than when attempting to describe what is going on downstairs at Trafalgar Studios this Xmas. From the moment you get in there to be assaulted by banging dance tunes and yelled greetings from exuberantly rampant co-creators and performers Zak Ghazi-Torbati and Toby Marlow, and clock the Beyoncé cutouts, shimmer curtain and flashing coloured lights, it's clear that this is going to be no conventional piece of theatre. You're definitely not in Kansas anymore. Also, if you don't like being forced into audience participation, you'd best avoid the front row! You're welcome.

Marlow and co-author/director Lucy Moss are also responsible for the wildly successful Six, and HGTM – as it's emblazoned in huge mirrored letters across the back of Anna Reid's gloriously tacky set – offers a cursorily similar combination of catchy, derivative tunes overlaid with coruscating lyrics. Whereas Six ingeniously reinvents the wives of Henry VIII as a sassy girl group, Ghazi-Torbati and Marlow's subject for this bonkers cabaret is...themselves. Lucky then that they are such an engaging pair.

As the 'Time Machine' zips backwards and forwards, we get tongue-in-cheek re-enactments of their coming-out scenarios, plus a toe-curling moment when Ghazi-Torbati's strait-laced dad catches him trying on women's clothes, nights out clubbing in their gay infancy, and more, all interspersed with witty pop songs. Having scored a hit on the Edinburgh Fringe with HGTM, the boys cheerfully admit they have done little more than shoehorn-in festive references to prepare for this Christmas season ("we're busy, we're gay, we've got brunches to go to") and one of the recurring gags of the evening is seeing just how tenuous that can get.

Despite the flash and glitter of the surroundings, much of the show is devastatingly well-observed: I especially liked the "Over The Rainbow"-inspired number for a couple of grudgingly gay-accepting straight guys who lament that they no longer feel comfortable appreciating rainbows and unicorns. It's often flat-out hilarious.

If it's also a little relentless and heartless – every potentially touching moment is punctured by a bitchy put-down or outrageous chorus – the sheer charm of the performers means that it never quite tips over into obnoxious. Puck-like Marlow sashays on like a cute, preening cross between Millie O'Connell's BritPop Anne Boleyn in his own Six musical, and Andy Bell of Erasure in his 1980s prime. A natural clown, he's also a killer pianist, decent vocalist, sensational twerker, and works the audience like a seasoned entertainer: he's fabulous.

Ghazi-Torbati is the more low key of the pair – although 'low key' is very much a relative term in a show as hysterical as this one – but is equally good, unleashing a genuinely terrific, rangy singing voice, and crack comic timing. Also, he morphs impressively into a variety of figures from the boys' remembered past.

In all honesty, a show this random and up-for-a-good-time would probably work better somewhere like the Two Brewers or downstairs at Soho Theatre where the patrons have constant access to the bar, and the post-performance dance party could happen a bit more organically. Still, at 75 minutes long, it's a perfect length (ooh er missus!) and going to make a lot of people very very happy this Xmas.

34 comments:

  1. Very informative post! There is a lot of information here that can help any business get started with a successful social networking campaign. manufacturer

    ReplyDelete
  2. Have you ever wondered about Christmas? From the time you first found out there really was no Santa Claus, did you ever question other aspects of this incredible holiday ? Did you ever wonder where Christmas came from? Why have a Christmas tree? Where did the idea of Santa Claus originate? Why is this day celebrated on the 25th of December? What do all these symbols and festivities really mean? What is God 's perspective on these things? If you were surprised when you first discovered the truth about Santa Claus, you will be even more surprised by the rest of the story.

    Christmas Background

    ReplyDelete
  3. I recommend to our customer about 800 words per page. This is enough content to be 'semantic search' friendly, provide relevant content and not be too word heavy. Zoekmachine optimalisatie

    ReplyDelete
  4. These bonuses provide you with more detailed information in regards to the woodworking, which will allow you to breeze through you woodworking projects. Toolschief.com

    ReplyDelete
  5. This is cliché, I know, but it is something so many new Internet marketers overlook that it is worth pointing out once again. All people have needs. Webdesign

    ReplyDelete
  6. I'm glad I found this web site, I couldn't find any knowledge on this matter prior to.Also operate a site and if you are ever interested in doing some visitor writing for me if possible feel free to let me know, im always look for people to check out my web site. slilpp.biz

    ReplyDelete
  7. Through the site has existed for more than a year, marketing staff and senior management will naturally question its effectiveness. Lead generation

    ReplyDelete
  8. Check the tie and its bundling for the expressed Least Breaking Strength (MBS).battery operated strapping tools

    ReplyDelete
  9. However, the returns are varying depending on a players' hardwork and skills in the field. For example, according to this research, 34% of the interviewed SEOs said they received an amount less than $ 30,000 while another group of respondents, 17% said they received returns that were above $ 500,000. Webdesign

    ReplyDelete
  10. While it's name determines that most of the jobs are in web development, there are other not so technical jobs as article writing, data entry, data collection (research) and others. You don't need to pay for sign up, their fees are one of the lowest (4%) or 4 $ and you can withdraw money in many ways. Webdesignerwebsite.be

    ReplyDelete
  11. These are vital questions with which to begin. The answers you come up with will determine the direction in which the overall design should go. www.sempris.be/webdesign

    ReplyDelete
  12. I was looking at some of your posts on this website and I conceive this web site is really instructive! Keep putting up.. gay cruising In case of questions or problems

    ReplyDelete
  13. Here is an outline of some the creators, their commitments and how we at last made reality the fantasy of a machine that could remove the work from sewing. K cup packaging machine

    ReplyDelete
  14. Wonderful illustrated information. I thank you about that. No doubt it will be very useful for my future projects. Would like to see some other posts on the same subject!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Most professional web design companies have published some guidelines that will help potential clients answer some of their questions. It is with that in mind that we have written this article. Webdesigner Limburg

    ReplyDelete
  16. Man! Its like you browse my mind! You seem to grasp so much regarding this, just like you wrote the book in it or one thing. i believe that you can do with some images to drive the content home a little, besides that, this is often informative blog. A outstanding browse. unwell certainly come back again. mm romance kindle unlimited

    ReplyDelete
  17. Are you a gay man seeking for a hookup, a casual date, or a long-term relationship? https://www.hookupscout.com/post/top-7-best-gay-hookup-sites

    ReplyDelete
  18. Thanks for a very interesting blog. What else may I get that kind of info written in such a perfect approach? I’ve a undertaking that I am simply now operating on, and I have been at the look out for such info. best magnetic rowers

    ReplyDelete
  19. This is such a great resource that you are providing and you give it away for free. I love seeing blog that understand the value of providing a quality resource for free. Innosilicon A11 Pro ETHMiner (2000Mh)

    ReplyDelete
  20. The American Camping Association reports the among its licensed camps, both summer day camps and overnight day camps, the costs for seven days of summer day camp or overnight day camp reaches from $75 each week to $650 each week. boot camps

    ReplyDelete
  21. I'm happy to see the considerable subtle element here!. 香港相親

    ReplyDelete
  22. Great tips and very easy to understand. This will definitely be very useful for me when I get a chance to start my blog. eatmomiji.com

    ReplyDelete
  23. I think this is an informative post and it is very useful and knowledgeable. therefore, I would like to thank you for the efforts you have made in writing this article. gay snapchat usernames

    ReplyDelete
  24. Took me time to read all the comments, but I really enjoyed the article. It proved to be Very helpful to me and I am sure to all the commenters here! It’s always nice when you can not only be informed, but also entertained! Best Apple iPhone 12 mini Mobile Phone Price in USA

    ReplyDelete
  25. We need to help people understand that health is not only a static phenomenon: Earned health offers so much more. 4 reasons some do well as vegans

    ReplyDelete
  26. I have to search sites with relevant information on given topic and provide them to teacher our opinion and the article. Bitmain Antminer E9 (3Gh)

    ReplyDelete
  27. I am glad you take pride in what you write. This makes you stand way out from many other writers that push poorly written content. merrychristmasmemes.com

    ReplyDelete
  28. You will track down a horde of extraordinary "off-shoots" of these two machine types including CNC processing machines, CNC drill and tap focuses, and CNC machines. CNC wood router

    ReplyDelete
  29. It's very interesting post. this is my first time visit here. i found so many interesting pet ornaments stuff in your blog especially its discussion. Thanks for the post!

    ReplyDelete
  30. I was just browsing through the internet looking for some information and came across your blog. I am impressed by the information that you have on this blog. It shows how well you understand this subject. Bookmarked this page, will come back for more. schlüsseldienst kaiserslautern

    ReplyDelete
  31. Nice information, valuable and excellent design, as share good stuff with good ideas and concepts, lots of great information and inspiration, both of which I need, thanks to offer such a helpful information here. Ferienwohnung Cuxhaven

    ReplyDelete
  32. An impressive share, I just with all this onto a colleague who had previously been doing a little analysis within this. And then he actually bought me breakfast since I ran across it for him.. smile. So permit me to reword that: Thnx with the treat! But yeah Thnkx for spending any time to talk about this, I’m strongly about this and really like reading more about this topic. If at all possible, as you grow expertise, would you mind updating your website with an increase of details? It’s highly useful for me. Huge thumb up with this short article! TSA site

    ReplyDelete
  33. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete

Note: only a member of this blog may post a comment.