The Dragprov Revue – a title born out of the marrying together of drag and improv. But in the case of this drag king/drag queen double act, the drag seems almost secondary. The gift Ed Scrivens (‘Eaton Messe’) and Francesca Forristal (‘Christian Adore’) have for improvisation is what carries the show – a talent made […]
Mi Flamenco Presents: Incognito
Exciting, moving flamenco dance, powerful song, virtuoso guitar and cello – with lots of charm, imagination and theatre thrown in Incognito, by international flamenco company Mi Flamenco is touring for the last time this spring. It is a show not to be missed. It contains all the spirit of authentic, pulsating flamenco, intertwined with the […]
Getting Life Back Up: An Interview with Elton Justice
Scotland-born Elton Justice spent three years of his life living in a country of the Far East (having previously lived in London). One day he posted the following about the country’s prime minister on his Facebook page: “He is an elected dictator.” Government authorities then set about ruining his life. “It was a constant psychological […]
“Different, New, and Quite Dangerous”: An Interview with Jo Noble
Last year Jo Noble directed Oxford Playhouse’s 17|25 Young Company in Jane Eyre, which “got really good reviews”, she recalls. “It was a complicated text in many ways,” I’m told. “Often in quite dense novels, an awful lot of interest is in the minutiae of the writing, the descriptions and so forth, which of course […]
LGBT Adoption and Fostering: “It Is Just Happening”
Ahead of LGBT Adoption and Fostering Week (5-11 March) we talk to the New Family Social’s James Lawrence – himself an LGBT adoptive parent – about NFS’s role and those who are still against members of the LGBT community becoming parents. So New Family Social is the go-to for LGBT people wanting to adopt or […]
A Shift Towards Equality: An Interview with Zoe Broughton
Sam Bennett Over 20 years ago, Oxford video journalist Zoe Broughton and Jamie Hartzell made a film about a group of women who wanted to stop some Hawk aircraft, being built in England, from being sold to Indonesia. These women believed the planes in question would be used for genocide against the people of East […]
The Spirit of Cilla: An Interview with Kara Lily Hayworth
After acting on screen and stage Kara Lily Hayworth has now risen to play one the UK’s best-loved national treasures. The life of Liverpudlian legend, Cilla Black, has been fashioned into a gorgeous new musical, adapted from the critically-acclaimed ITV mini-series written by BAFTA award-winner Jeff Pope. One of the few truly great all-round entertainers, […]
Proper Trousers: An Interview with Adam Kashmiry
Sam Bennett “You were born a girl, in the traditional sense, in Egypt,” I say to Adam Kashmiry, not quite sure of my terminology, “but you wanted to be a boy.” “Yes,” he says. Growing up in Egypt, his expressions of so-called masculinity were not accepted by others – the way he walked, talked and […]
Number One in Stonewall’s Top 100 Employers List
The National Assembly for Wales has been recognised as the 2018 UK leading employer for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in the latest Stonewall Workplace Equality Index. The Assembly is the democratically elected body that represents the interests of Wales and its people, makes laws for Wales, agrees Welsh taxes and holds the Welsh […]
Ryan & Liam Simpson-Trotman: “It’s About Being Brave and Bold”
Oxfordshire is undoubtedly blessed with a wealth of excellent chefs, but few have the kind of fierce passion and sheer artistry that Ryan and Liam Simpson-Trotman have. As the proprietors of one of Oxfordshire’s best restaurants, Orwells – near Shiplake – the pair have won numerous accolades including four AA rosettes, and in our opinion, […]