96-year–old IRIS APFEL is a fashion legend. In an era when even Hollywood stars are slaves to stylists and opinionated editors who want all of us to conform, this New York idiosyncratic doyenne is one of the last truly original, most fabulous dressed women around. Her large crammed Manhattan home is packed full of vintage … Continue reading
This new UK drama is based on a remarkable true story that we first found very hard to believe It is the tale of Jay and Paul who are both serving life sentences for homophobic murders. Incredibly, they fall in love and seek permission to marry.
Kiss Marry Kill is an electrifying and intimate story of love and redemption. and this dramatic recreation from award-winning site-specific specialists Dante or Die, reimagines the first same-sex marriage that took place in a UK prison.
Queerguru talks with two of the three writers, James Baldwin and Terry O’Donovan on the eve of a National Tour around the UK performing in chapels
Like Queerguru’s own Editor, CARL HOPGOOD, is a dispaced Brit. He studied at the (legendary) Goldsmiths College in London, and after two solo shows in Mayfair, he ended up in LA inspired by David Hockney’s and his (very homoerotic) A Bigger Splash. It’s a long way from his birthplace in Wales but it gave Hopgood a sense of freedom in both his art and life. He used his experiences and his politics as a queer man to influence his art and highlight social issues through his sculptural pieces that incorporate found objects and neon, all inspired by memories and everyday life.
One piece demonstrating this is “Just Say Gay,” which grabbed our attention and we knew we needed to know more. Just back from Art Basel Miami Beach where he showed “Ban Guns Not Books,” a sculpture made from school desks, a neon gun, and neon books, and he is now working on a series of empty chair paintings (“Old empty chairs are not empty in reality, memories always sit there,” he explains).
Plus filmmaker Kate Rees Davies is finishing a FRAGILE WORLD documentary about his life that releases in 2024. Some of Hopgood’s art can be seen at The Bunker Art Space in LA as part of the prestigious private collection of Beth Rudin Woody and we got to know more of (the charming) Hopgood when we talked to him on Zoom.
Linus Karp is a London-based Swedish actor, writer, theatremaker, and full-time princess. He runs Awkward Productions alongside his creative and life partner Joseph Martin and together they have just enjoyed a sold-out critically acclaimed run of DIANA. THE UNTOLD STORY. (see https://queerguru.com/linus-karp-dian…) So the pair of them have gone from Royal Princess to Hollywood Princess for their new show GWYNETH GOES SKIING. Very loosely based on a recent Court Case when the Hollywood Star was sued for causing an accident on the ski slopes. She countered sued but it was the Trial that made for such good (and bad) theatre that Karp and Martin seized upon it as the subject for their new comic parody that will play at London’s Pleasance Theatre this December
Queerguru caught up with them both the day before they were due to start rehearsals to get the low down (and try and squeeze out of them the date they expect Miss P to be in the audience)
P.S. There is one final perfomance of ‘Diana’ at the glorious Clapham Grand on Dec 6th
Brit queer actor/writer/performer …… and Pantomime Dame aficionado …. Matthew Baldwin talks about his ninth season starring in this quintessential English (queer) art form. Queerguru advised Baldwin that this would be the first time ever we had interviewed a Queen who was paid to be evil! This Holiday Season at Londo’n’s Charing Cross Theatre Baldwin stars in SLEEPING BEAUTY TAKES A PRICK. In case you didn’t pick up on the hint this is an ‘adult-only panto !!!!
As well as his love of playing evil queens, the multi-talented and extremely successful Baldwin has one of those resumes that make for fascinating reading. We picked up him writing a monologue for Mark Gatiss’ QUEER season in London. Kings Head Theatre …… plus the time in a freezing cold London pub/theatre he stripped naked to play his part ….. and there is so much more