OUT Africa Magazine Issue 36 by Keith Coventry

AFRICA

MAGAZ I N E Issue 36, SPRING 2018

SUPPORT PRIDE

LANDA MABENGE LIVING HIS TRUTH THE GAYEST PLACES TO BE!

PROUDLY GAY

FREE

SUNETTE VILJOEN

VISIT INCREDIBLE THAILAND!!

WITH

For the holiday of a lifetime in the land of smiles Y ONL

0 0 5 R14 * Per Person Sharing * Incl: Flights, taxes & Accommodation * 2 weeks (Bangkok & Pattaya)

ENQUIRE TODAY FOR MORE INFORMATION .... 1. Drop us an email to: outmagafrica@telkomsa.net with THAILAND SPECIAL in the subject line 2. We will reply with all the details regarding this amazing trip! T’s&C’s apply... Offer subject to availability .... Offer subject to changes ....

INSIDE THIS ISSUE FEATURES

1 EDITORS COMMENT: 3 Why Pride 4 TRAVEL: Out & About 8 INTERVIEW: Living My Truth - Landa Mabenge 12 Gay History 18 LGBT: A Global Movement 20 INTERVIEW: Sunette Viljoen 23 MUSIC MOVES: Cher! 28 Bohemian Rhapsody: Interview with Graham King 32 HEALTH: Nutritious Smoothie Ideas 34 HEALTH: Big Guns 36 THE BUZZ: Snippits of News 37 An Iconic Film that Changed our World

20 8

28 FASHION 14 - 17 Proudly Fashionable

SCENE OUT

24,25,26,27 Who was seen OUT at Durban Pride

REVIEWS

38 OUT ON DVD: With Daniel Dercksen 39 OUT ON FILM: With Daniel Dercksen 40 ON STAGE: With Daniel Dercksen

34 Mag 1

FROM THE EDITOR

ride season is here again and as the weather warms up so too will the pride celebrations the biggest to look out for are Joburg Pride and Pretoria Pride. Both events attract thousands of revellers so save the dates and if you’ve never been, make a point of celebrating - if you’re an old hand then get that rainbow gear and make a statement - after all there are thousands of LGBTQ people across the continent who are being persecuted and cannot express their sexuality. The freedoms that have been fought for and won are fragile and must be protected at all costs. It is too easy for an intolerant government or electorate to take those freedoms away. Be proud of who you are - show your true colours and support Pride!

Check out the fashion spread for fabulous Pride ideas or be creative and make your own. In this issue we feature the remarkably talented openlygay, Gold medal winning athlete Sunette Viljoen. People who find themselves trapped in a body that feels alien are to be admired when they take the bull by the horns and facing seemingly insurmountable odds make the decision to transition and go through realignment surgeries. One such person is Landa Mabenge. Read about her journey on page 8 and discover how he is “living his truth.” There are a host of other interesting regulars and articles of particular interest to LGBTQ readers ... such as Cher, the gayest icon of all time’s new album due to be released on September 28! Have a wonderful pride season - get out there and celebrate!!! Tommy Patterson Editor Cover : Sunette Viljoen MANAGING EDITOR: Tommy Patterson 082 562 3358 ISSN 2304-859X Published by: PATTERSON PUBLICATIONS P.O. Box 397, Sea Point 8060 Tel/Fax: 021 555 1279 E-mail: outmagazine@mweb.co.za outmagafrica@telkomsa.net outlet@telkomsa.net ADVERTISING SALES: Tommy Patterson 082 562 3358

CONTRIBUTORS: Daniel Dercksen Peter Tatchell Foundation PHOTOGRAPHY: Mambaonline

Printed by ABC Press, Cape Town

Copyright: All articles, stories, interviews and other materials in OUT Africa Magazine are the copyright of the publication or are reproduced with permission from other copyright owners. All rights are reserved. No materials may be copied, modified, published or otherwise distributed without the prior written permission of OUT Africa Magazine. The views, opinions, positions or strategies expressed by those providing comments in this publication are theirs alone, and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of OUT Africa Magazine or any employee thereof. OUT Africa Magazine and Patterson Publications cc., will not be liable for any errors, omissions, or delays in any information contained in the publication.

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i am me. NO EXCUSES. NO REGRETS

2019 TEAM PRIDE

Matthew

Nomfundiso

Roger

Asia

David

Sisanda

Shane

Siyanda

To get involved drop a line to matthew@capetownpride.org • Pride invites all LGBTI+ NGO’s to participate in this year’s event. Free space will be allocated at the Mardi Gras and any events hosted during Pride Week will be fully supported by the team and added to the Pride Calendar. All funds raised for these events are for the individual NGO’s. We have contacted all NGO’s but many have not yet responded ... please get included! • Last year we had a period of silence and reflection at the start of the parade in rememberance of our murdered sisters. It was an inspiration and a wake-up ... this year in order to reach a much wider audience we will open the main event with a minute’s silence to remember all our fallen brothers and sisters. • The full calendar of Pride events will be out shortly

Cape Town Pride 2019

#LOVEISLOVE

22nd Feb to 3rd March 2019 (Mardi Gras venue REDDAM FIELD)

Tommy

TRAVEL

OUT AND ABOUT

Tired of living in the closet? .... well it’s time to break out, with the World becoming a more and more gay-friendly place there are a host of cities where gay people are welcomed - these are a few of the best places where you can be yourself, without having to hide your feelings, personality or your sexuality. You can literally shout out “I am what I am” Mag 4

retty much anywhere in Europe is welcoming for the gay traveller. The EU in many ways has set the benchmark where gay rights are concerned.

Eifel Tower lit in the gay colours for Pride week

Amsterdam which was for many years and arguably still is the gay capital of

Europe, is a city which is not only tolerant but has a thriving gay culture. In 2001, the Netherlands became the first country in the world to legalise gay marriage and the country is world-renowned for its tolerant and forward thinking attitudes. The city celebrates it’s diversity and Pride Week is all about partying and less about protesting. In Amsterdam, the gay scene is mostly concentrated around the many gay bars in the Reguliersdwarsstraat, and fun parties happen at the Amstel Fifty Four on Wednesdays, the drinks night of student association A.S.V. Gay. Travel to Germany where Cologne and Berlin have the biggest gay scenes.

Berlin is famous for the creative and open spirit that the city seems to nurture. It’s what made it a gay hotspot in the 1920s and continues to be a special and unique place for LGBTI people today. There’s so much room in the city for so many different types of interests as well, which makes it really diverse for the many colours of the LGBTI rainbow… with queer parties and meetups catering to just about every interest and sub-culture! There are great queer bars such as SilverFuture in Neukölln and Facciola in Kreuzberg, with both, their flare and social atmosphere make them great places for tourists, whilst mega techno clubs and parties (such as Berghain) attract a mix of LGBTI+ locals and tourists. Paris is hosting the the 10th Gay Games this year, so if you are planning to visit in

September it will undoubtedly be the gayest city in Europe. The Gay Games which is the biggest cultural and sporting event attracts up to 15000 participants and many more spectators from all over the world. Known as the City of Light and to many the most romantic city in Europe, Paris is ideally centrally situated in the heart of Europe with easy connections to all the other major cities. The Marais district is the place to stay where gay bars, clubs and saunas abound. But there is more to the city than the Marais so plan your visit ... there is so much to see and do.

Entrance to the Charles Bridge Prague

Eastern Europe is not as gay-friendly as the west, having more conservative attitudes and less tolerance to LGBTI’s, but if a taste of the East is your yearning then Prague in the Czech Republic is the best city to visit from a gay perspective. The Czech Republic has become a much more liberal and gay-friendly destination in recent years and the Prague gay scene, mainly centred around the Vinohrady area (close to the city centre), is particularly vibrant and accessible. There are around 30 gay bars, discos and saunas in the city as a whole with new establishments opening all the time. The city is steeped in history, wander through the old Jewish quarter or take a walk over the Charles Bridge named after Emperor Charles IV and begun in 1357. There are a number of statues on the bridge, the most popular being St. John of Nepomuk, a Czech martyr saint who was executed during the reign of Wenceslas IV by being thrown into the Vltava from the bridge. The plaque on the statue has been polished to a shine by countless people having touched it over the centuries. Touching the statue is supposed to bring good luck and ensure your return to Prague.

Rome is an incredible city with loads of amazing historical sites that will take your

breath away. Whilst perhaps not as gay-in-your-face as other European cities, the gay life in Rome is fun and easy-going. Both during international events or smaller local festivals, you will meet plenty of good-hearted people that will offer to show you around this incredible place. The heart of the gay life in Rome is Gay Street, right behind the Colosseum. This is the place locals prefer for a drink to start the night. You’ll find yourself talking to everyone and, with the night coming, you’ll want to discover one of the most popular Italian clubs: Muccassassina in winter and Gay Village in Summer.

Pride - Rome

Lisbon is one of the most amazingly gay-friendly cities for LGBTI travellers. Generally cheaper than the rest of Europe, Lisbon is the capital city of Portugal and as such is the cultural centre with a host of interesting and nice spots to see and visit. The nightlife in Bairro Alto is really fun, where there are several gay-friendly pubs, discos and a sauna. But Lisbon gay life is not only limited to the city centre. Extend your visit to travel along the southern coast to the Costa da Caparica, a stunning place to enjoy the sea, with beautiful, long beaches with hotels and areas catering to tourists. This region is served by a slow train that starts from Lisbon and travels along the coast. Beach 19 is a well-known gay beach and a great place to meet new people and have fun. Last but not least, the Portuguese people are very open-minded and LGBTI+ people are free to be themselves. Madrid, the capital of Spain, and is the third-largest city in the European Union Mag 5

after London and Berlin. The gay scene is in an area called Chueca. Madrid has a lively, raunchy gay scene with many cruise bars and most bars have dark rooms, where just about anything goes. Chueca, is in the old quarter in the center of the city, as it’s a tightly compact area it is easy to get around but brace yourselves, Madrileños like all Spaniards tend to party late.

Barcelona and the nearby Sitges are on everyone’s wish list. Barcelona offers a delicious blend of architecture, nightlife, style and sophistication with a sprinkling of tradition, infused with a fierce independent Catalan spirit. This city is considered by many LGBTI travellers as Europe’s no 1 gay destination. Here you will find world-class dining, a stunning Mediterranean coastline and a late night party scene that never ceases to surprise, giving the LGBTI tourist all the ingredients for a perfect sun filled city escape!... add to this fascinating historical buildings, a Gaudidesigned, mouth-gaping cathedral, the ever-packed Las Ramblas street and superb shopping - you need look no further!. A short train ride from Barcelona is Sitges, located on the Mediterranean Coast, and without doubt one of the most popular gay destinations in Europe. Nestled in between the warm sea and the Garaff mountains, the village enjoys a unique microclimate, affording it more than 300 days of sunshine per year. Sitges has 25 different beaches, 2 of them nudist and the main gay beach is located right in the heart of the village. Nearly all of the hotels are located less than 10 minutes from the centre of the gay village where you’ll find more than 23 gay bars, several gay clubs, as well as several gay and gay friendly restaurants and shops. If the Mediterranean is your preferred destination then the famous Greek island of Mykonos is a must-do destination. This gay hot-spot, often ranked as the top gay-friendly destination in the world and for good reason as it has a mix of lively and tranquil gay beaches, along with some of the best summer parties to be found in Europe. Of course, the Med is strictly for summer holidays when thousands of LGBTI tourists descend on the various islands to party, meet people and generally have fun!

Sitges

Mykonos

Grand Canaria is another great summer place to be for

LGBTI travellers. The island has always been a beacon of tolerance even when mainland Spain had extremely hostile conservative attitudes especially to gay people, the Canary Islands were a popular place to exile people who broke social rules and thought differently. Get down to Maspalomas and Playa del Ingles in the South where there is a massive gay scene for gay boys, particularly in the famous Yumbo Centre – a shopping mall in Playa del Ingles full of mainly gay bars, clubs and boutique shops. Scandinavia has always been a more liberal part of the world and with LGBTI rights being regarded by many as the most progressive in Europe if not the world for decades, the major cities of this region are ideal for the gay traveller.

Grand Canaria

Stockholm is the biggest city of all the Scandinavian coun-

tries and whilst the gay nightlife may be smaller than the other large European cities, there will always be something open on any given night, but don’t expect to have more than 5-10 gay bars or clubs to choose from. As with most “gay-friendly” places in the world, part of the “blame” for the lack of gay establishments lies with Swedish society’s general LGBTI tolerance. “When everyone accepts you for who or what you are, you don’t need to find friends who are sexually like-minded. Then you tend to go less to LGBTI bars and clubs since most of your friends are not LGBTI. Add to this the general decrease in the need for commercial places due to Grindr etc., and you get a small queer commercial scene,” commented Thomas Wimark, PhD and researcher at Stockholm University. But don’t be put off ... the city is both fascinating and incredibly beautiful with plenty to see and do including a must-visit for every gay person to the ABBA Museum. Mag 6

Stockholm

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“LIVING MY TRUTH”

anda Mabenge’s earliest memories are living with his aunt and maternal grandparents in Ncambelana, a small community on the outskirts of Mthatha. The house, filled with cousins and other relatives was a hive of activity, and Landa was “one of the boys”, shunning dolls and girly things, always playing the male role with his cousin when they played house. At around the age of seven, even though Landa was being socialised as a girl, he realised that he was ‘different’ and often had to fight against wearing dresses. Landa’s grandparents allowed him the freedom to play with his boy cousins and friends, a liberty that was restricted in the context of school and church where he had to confirm to his socialisation as a girl. These were days of freedom as his grandparents indulged his preferences. At the age of 11 everything changed. His biological parents, whom he hardly knew, took Landa to live with them and insisted that she be socialised as a girl. This move was the unhappiest time of Landa’s life. Landa came to live in a home where he didn’t have a relationship with the rest of the family. It was a home without love, which saw him and his older brother (who had once grown up in the same loving home in Ncambedlana) being ostracised and physically, emotionally and psychologically abused. Landa’s parents were very staunch 7th Day Adventists so the idea of expressing the true feelings about his looming sexuality was an absolute no, no. Going through puberty, Landa was aware of his attraction to girls but never mentioned it or entertained that conversation. Throughout his school years from the age of eleven through to matric Landa bottled up his true feelings, surviving from day to day and not even entertaining the idea that he may be born a boy in a girls body. “At this tender age I didn’t understand anything about gender and sexuality. I only came to fully understand these differences around 2006/7 after I had graduated from university and was preparing for my journey as a trans-man.”

In 2000, Landa had enrolled at the University of Cape Town, and for the first year was still finding his niche in the world, still caught up in socialising as a woman – his focus at the time was to merely survive from day to day. In 2001, Landa visited a therapist and only then did he allow himself to explore his sexuality and attraction to women. Over the next few years even though he was in relationships with women, Landa still felt there was something different, he was living life as a very butch lesbian, and an angry one! But there was something more - he felt that he was in the wrong body. It was only after Landa had left university and was working that he began to research information via the internet feeling that time had arrived to “live my truth.” Going online and simply typing questions like “What does it mean to feel like a man born in a womans body?” resulted in loads of information and articles on being transgender. There was a whole world of possibilities opening up and he felt that his situation wasn’t so unusual after all. It was through this online research that Landa came across organisations The Triangle Project and Gender DynamiX in Cape Town. This break-through led to an appointment with the sexologist at The Triangle Project who then, after a few sessions, set up an appointment with the transgender clinic at Groote Schuur Hospital. This was an enormously exciting time, because only a shorttime earlier Landa had no clue about the possibility of transitioning. “It was like a light switch had been turned on. Everything began to align and I saw the future with so much clarity. Back in 2009, my reality was referred to as a gender identity disorder. I met with a panel of medical specialists, including a psychologist, psychiatrist, plastic surgeon, socoal worker and endocrinologist, who made it clear that it wasn’t necessary that a person realigns their body in order to be transgender, but there is the possibility should you want it.” Landa opted for the gender alignment surgery and so began a course of hormone replacement therapy in November 2009. The journey of transitioning is not a quick process, it is a journey that happens in stages… The hormone replacement therapy results in a person going through puberty again. It brings about a lot of changes to your body both physically and emotionally. The process is also not without its dangers, and blood-work needs to monitored six-monthly. For example if the dosage of testosterone is not right one could put themselves at risk of cardiac failure. Once the hormone replacement therapy had started Landa went to Home Affairs firstly to change his name and then to follow that up with changing his gender marker. A process that for some people has been both difficult and embarrassing as Home Affairs officials have not always been understanding. (Landa had heard some horror stories in this regard), so chose the Wynberg office, because it is small and found the staff to be (surprisingly) professional, helpful and understanding. The waiting list for transgender surgery is long, with only 4 surgeries being carried out through the clinic per year. Landa was not prepared to wait so taking the bull by the horns, he approached his

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LANDA MABENGE HAS SUCCESSFULLY UNDER-TAKEN THE JOURNEY OF TRANSITIONING. OUT MAGAZINE MET WITH HIM TO FIND OUT MORE... Mag 9

medical aid who declined his request despite being armed with letters. Landa then went onto a different medical (Carecross under Bankmed) and approached them with the same request and in mid 2014 they approved the gender alignment surgery – making Landa the first known transgender man in the country to successfully motivate a Medical Aid to accepting the cost. There followed a double mastectomy and the laparoscopic hysterectomy. These were the first two surgeries and there still others should Landa wish to continue with them. Landa explained, ‘transitioning is a journey’- a daily journey, and he has started his own consultancy Landa Mabenge Consulting where he uses his experiences and his journey as a catalyst for education, awareness and linkages to care through institutions of higher learning, such as Stellenbosch University Equality Unit which he works very closely with. I asked Landa how his family and the wider Xhosa community have dealt with the transition. He said that his maternal family have all been very supportive as has the community back home in Ncambedlana, Mthatha. Landa has found that most younger people from both his paternal and maternal families, and young people in general are less prejudiced and in most cases are very supportive and open minded. Most of his friends are people he’s met since being at UCT who have been on the journey with him. Landa has written a book Becoming Him – A trans memoir of triumph which is available at Exclusive Books and online. Get yourself a copy of this incredible journey of one person’s perseverance to “live my truth!”

“It was like a light switch had been turned on. Everything began to align and I saw the future with so much clarity” Mag 10

Saturday, 6 October The 6th Pretoria LGBTI Pride Centurion Rugby Club c/n West and Lenchen Ave, Centurion From 09:00 - 20:00 Pretoria Pride is an annual event which consists of a parade and associated entertainment, social and educational events that aim to raise the visibility of the LGBTI community. Pride also serves as a celebration of this community and its diversity. Pretoria Gay Pride is organised by a volunteer board, open to anyone from various sectors of the LGBTI community.

Saturday, 27 October 2018 Johannesburg Pride Parade Joburg Pride dubbed the Pride of Africa is for every LGBTQ+ME person on the continent of Africa, Joburg Pride offers an inclusive, multi-faceted community platform that builds individual and collective pride beyond the actual pride celebrations themselves â&#x20AC;&#x201C; liberating every person in this diverse community to live their most authentic life. The four-day festival starts on the 25 October with a Lifestyle Conference 26 October - Wellness Day (daytime event) 26 October - Mr Pride Of Africa (an evening event) 27 October - Joburg Pride Parade and Mardi Gras (daytime event) 27 October - Pride of Africa Music Concert (evening event) 28 October - Family brunch

Visit their website or Facebook page to find out more details regarding venues, times, tickets etc. Mag 11

A LITTLE BIT OF “GAY” HISTORY It’s interesting and important to know that gay people have been around for as long as mankind has roamed the earth. Never has the slogan “We’re Here, We’re Queer - Get Used To It” been more true... the Middle East, Latin America and among the Slavs. Sergius and Bacchus continue to be popular saints with Christian Arabs...” Near Istanbul, there is a famous church dedicated to Saints Sergius and Bacchus, just down the hill from the city’s storied Hippodrome from Roman times. Located just a few yards from the shores of the Sea of Marmara, the church, built in 527, is so old that the interior frieze is in Greek, not Latin (Istanbul was a Greek-speaking city before the arrival of Roman emperors Constantine and Justinian). The church, like most in Istanbul, was converted to a mosque in the 15th century, but it existed as a church dedicated to Saints Sergius and Bacchus for nearly a thousand years. The church is commonly known as “Little Hagia Sophia” (Küçük Ayasofia), although it predates its landmark namesake by a few years.

hird-century Saints Sergius and Bacchus were openly gay, but secretly Christian – the opposite of the way most of today’s closeted gay Christians deal with their situation. The couple were high-ranking Roman soldiers who were described in historical accounts as erastai, Greek for “lovers”. Modern scholars report that they were united in the rite of adelphopoiesis, a kind of early Christian same-sex marriage. The saints’ story is told in the Greek text known as The Passion of Sergius and Bacchus, which dates from the fifth century, when their veneration began. During the Byzantine Empire, they were venerated as protectors of the army. According to Kitt Cherry, (a noted lesbian Christian author and art historian), in the year 303 in present-day Syria “They were tortured to death after they refused to attend sacrifices to Zeus, thus revealing their secret Christianity. The pair were arrested and paraded through the streets in women’s clothing in an unsuccessful effort to humiliate them... Then Sergius and Bacchus were separated and beaten so severely that Bacchus died. According to the early manuscripts, Bacchus appeared to Sergius that night with a face as radiant as an angel’s, dressed once again as a soldier. He urged Sergius not to give up (by renouncing his faith), because they would be reunited in heaven as lovers. His statement is unique in the history of martyrs. Usually the promised reward is union with God, not with a lover. Over the next days Sergius was tortured and eventually beheaded... (Note: Some scholars swear by this account; others doubt its veracity.) ...Sergius’ tomb became a famous shrine, and for nearly 1,000 years the couple was revered as the official patrons of the Byzantine army. Many early churches were named after Sergius, sometimes (paired) with Bacchus. They are recognized as martyrs by the Catholic, Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox churches. The pair was venerated through the Mediterranean, Mag 12

Noted British photographer Anthony Gayton does stylised homoerotic photos based on the history of gay culture. above he shows Sergius and Bacchus stripped and bound as prisoners in two separate photos. The images are intended to be shown together, but by design they can also be separated. Appropriate Bible quotes are on banners above them. For Bacchus: “But I will not take my love from him, nor will I ever betray my faithfulness.” (Psalm 89:33). For Sergius: “All thy commandments are faithful, they persecute me wrongly; help thou me.” (Psalm 119: 86)

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FASHION

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The modern rainbow fixation has taken on a grander meaning, in the age of social media, anti-bullying, and calls for greater human unity, Mag 27 gay and non-gay. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s graduated beyond its niche and presents an opportunity for brands and retailers to capitalise on the global LGBTQ spending power. With a number of Pride events taking place in the country this summer, why not get in to the spirit of Pride and wear the rainbow colours proudly... Be creative and make a statement, be proudly what you are.

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Fabulous footwear

Converse launched an entire line of LGBTQ Pride footwear. If you can’t get your hands on a pair, get you creative juices flowing and revamp and old pair of your Converse takkies and liven them up with a rainbow theme... from polka dots to glitter, you’ll not only be comfortable on the march will be able to party all day!

The rainbow flag is creatively transformed in to a tight-fitting figure hugging, bare-shoulderedfrock - and how fabulous does she look!! .

Her name was Lola, she was a showgirl ...

FOR

Cape Town’s very own Lola is always one to take Pride to another level when it comes to her outfits... here she wears the SA gay flag but feathers are her preferred choice ... (opposite page top) Mag 15

Christopher Bailey integrated the six core colours of the rainbow in his last collection for Burberry, to highlight the need for inclusion and solidarity in the community, which as a group is still marginalised in many parts of the world.

O M TOP

The annual Met Gala is fashionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s biggest night, a platform that Lena Waithe used this year to send a powerful message. The Emmy award-winning creative, who is openly gay, showed up to the 2018 Met Gala in a black suit with a colourful rainbow flag worn as a flowing cape, a fashion statement that firmly affirmed her pride as a queer woman.

or ... you could just drape a flag over your shoulders!

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TOE

Customary glitt

Of course there is a range of t-shirts with positive, fun, tongue-in-cheek, political and risquĂŠ messages ... to suit all tastes...

to...top it off - a

colourful rainbo

w hat

tor ian Acâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Gay d a n a C ell an en Am Steph Shirt caused Pride outcry!

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LGBT+ IS THE MOST UNIVERSAL GLOBAL MOVEMENT OF ALL TIME Transcending all nations, cultures, ideologies, classes and races Rainbow flag is worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most unifying, universal and ubiquitous flag Mag 18

By Peter Tatchell

Pride has changed the world for LGBT+ people. Long may it continue Recently, London’s celebration of LGBT+ Pride was one of thousands of Pride celebrations taking place over the summer months in nearly every country on Earth. [In South Africa, Joburg, Pretoria, NMB and Soweto Pride will soon be happening]. In less than five decades, what began in a handful of western cities has become an unprecedented global phenomenon. Today, the LGBT+ movement is the most unifying, ubiquitous and universal worldwide movement of all time – and the most successful. It exists in over 160 countries, sometimes covertly, with a common agenda of LGBT+ liberation that transcends all borders, classes, ideologies, cultures and ethnicities. It has notched up some impressive achievements. The decriminalisation of homosexuality in more than 120 countries, with 24 now legalising same-sex marriage and more than 60 protecting LGBT+ people against discrimination. Some 86 states have national human rights institutions that defend sexual and gender minorities. Nine out of ten countries have become increasingly accepting of LGBT+s in the last two decades. In many parts of the world, there is still severe persecution to be overcome. Nevertheless, it is still an extraordinary accomplishment that more than 2,000 years of homophobic, biphobic and transphobic persecution has been significantly rolled back in many countries in less than half a century. All this progress is the result of daring, inventive and unrelenting campaigning - against all odds - by national and international LGBT+ movements. More evidence of success is the fact that our rainbow flag is now the most universal flag in the world. Flown in every country, often briefly or secretly in repressive states, no other flag has such international reach and appeal. Unlike national flags, it is cherished by LGBT+ people - and straight allies - in every nation. It is the symbol of our common LGBT+ humanity. Pride is the celebration that unites hundreds of millions of diverse LGBT+ people all across the planet. I have witnessed, in my lifetime, the explosion of Pride events to the farthest corners of the world. The annual celebrations are the visible manifestation of our queer culture and communities and our collective international demand for respect, dignity and equal human rights. The idea of Pride was conceived in the early 1970s as a riposte to the then dominant view – even among many LGBT+ people – that we should be ashamed of our sexual orientation and gender identity. Aged 20, together with other members of the Gay Liberation Front, I helped pioneer the UK’s first ever Pride parade, in London in July 1972.

state repression, as happened in Uganda last year, where government threats of violent attack forced Pride’s cancellation. The previous year, 2016, Pride Uganda was marred by police arrests and brutality, without legal authority and with impunity. But in many countries Pride has had unparalleled success because it is a just cause, with an ethical purpose, a global resonance and, very importantly, a happy, inclusive vibe. It speaks to LGBT+ people the world over. The unique blend of carnival-like celebration and political demands projects a serious message in a fun way that is attractive to a wide audience, with a far broader appeal than traditional forms of protest. This joyful, exuberant atmosphere is infectious. Everyone likes a party and everyone wants to join in. The uplifting nature of Pride, with its flamboyance and theatricality, comes out of gay culture. But for some of us, it is also a cunning ruse to disarm and subvert homophobia, in ways that po-faced, angry demonstrations can never hope to achieve. Whilst we must enjoy the Pride celebrations and the party mood. There is also a serious message: to highlight and stand in solidarity with persecuted LGBT+s in other parts of the world especially Africa, Russia, Chechnya and Islamic States. Pride needs to be politics with joy. That’s what Pride has always been and may it long remain.

To give it broad appeal, we deliberately pitched it as a carnival parade with a LGBT+ liberation theme. Even so, it was tiny. Most LGBT+s were in the closet and had internalised homophobia. Only 700 people showed up. There were similar groundbreaking Pride events in major US cities at around the same time; but also with relatively small numbers. Since then, there has been an exponential growth of Pride celebrations all across the planet. Madrid, Sao Paulo, Toronto, Paris, New York and Berlin have each mobilised between one and two million people. No other political or social movement can match this scale, year on year. At the other end of the Pride spectrum, in some countries the festivities number only hundreds of people and suffer severe Mag 19

INTERVIEW You were born and raised in Rustenburg, when did you first realise that you were different to the other girls at school? I have always been a tomboy since I can remember. I always enjoyed doing things with the boys and never for one moment considered it strange. My best friends in pre-primary were boys and I have the fondest memories of all the things I did with them, from climbing trees to riding bikes and playing rugby and cricket with them. I never wore any skirts or did girly stuff! I had one doll for a few minutes that I got for one birthday, but the neck broke off rather quickly! Did you remain “in the closet” during your school years? I was the first girl ever to play cricket with the boys in the boys team. I made the u.11 A, 12 A and 13 A side in my primary school. They never treated me differently because I was a girl, I was backed by them all the way because I think I was the strong link in the team. When I got to high school I had to play in the u.14 B team, because I had to prove myself I was good enough to play in the A team. I scored over 50 runs in that game, and was promoted immediately to the A team…to the ‘shame’ of the one boys who lost his place to a girl. I never thought of sexual orientation when I was at school, I was too busy with sports and I didn’t see myself as different to my peers. You attended Die Hoërskool Rustenburg, were you bullied, made fun of or picked on in any way because of your sexual orientation? No, not at all, I was in Grade 8 when my teacher tossed the ball to me and said I have to bowl to a 1st team player… great excitement was filling the school cricket nets because a girl is bowling to a boy. It was the boy’s worst nightmare when I bowled him out first ball, to the amusement of all the other boys - a matric boy,bowled by a u.14 girl… I think he left school after that day! Bullying is such a huge problem in our schools today, how did you deal with any homophobia growing up? I didn’t experience any homophobia growing up (I did not consider myself gay at that time any way). Everyone treated me with great respect because I was Sportswoman of the Year at my school and during most of my high school years, I think I made the school proud with my sporting achievements. I was never treated differently, everyone knew my background and how I grew up, I was at my happiest doing sports. When did you come out to your family and what was their reaction? That is when my life changed. I was the achiever in the house and everyone built their hopes and dreams on me. I was always good enough before I met the love of my life, but then that all changed. To think the people you once knew, the people you grew up with, the mom and the dad who are supposed to love you unconditionally, the brother and sister, the people that know you’re the best and that are supposed to be happy for you, turned out to be hostile strangers... That is when I experienced homophobia for the first time, not from a single person of the public, but the four people I grew up with. Every gay person experiences different reactions from their families, ranging from, “I love you just the one you are, I will never leave your side, you are my blood” or “What did I do wrong to have a gay child, where did I go wrong, if you don’t change, I will walk in front of a bus...”, “Grow up! We have to take you to a pastor, he has to pray you right”. If you love your child, you will go out of your way to understand him or her, accept your child and his/her partner, read, become more informed about different types of sexuality, never be judgmental Mag 20

GOLD MEDA LGBT

SUNETTE

TALKS FR ABOUT HE CAREER, FA RELATIO

ALLIST AND T ICON

E VILJOEN

FRANKLY ER STELLA FAMILY AND IONSHIP

and say I will not change or I will accept it. Well then you are going to lose your child and that is where I am today. My blood relatives do not accept me because of who I love. You are fortunate to be talented in sports. Did this help in combating any prejudice at school? I was too busy to ponder anything and at school nothing was strange or different for me! You have not only excelled on the athletics field but also played cricket for South Africa and by all accounts was a natural all-rounder in the game. Where did you develop a love for the sport and how did you come to be in the South African team that played against England in 2000 and World Cup in New Zealand? I was very sporty from a young age, did everything you can think of, never sat still, always played outside, climbed trees, played with cars... My brother used to play cricket with me, but when I revealed that the love of my life is a woman, that all changed. I played cricket with my boy friends since I can remember and couldn’t wait for the school to come out! I have very fond memories of all the boys I played cricket with. I played Indoor Cricket for South Africa when I was 13 years old and was only 16 when I was selected to play for the South African Women’s team. I was in Grade 11 then, it was in 2000 where we toured to England. That same year I went to the Women’s World Cup in New Zealand where we played in the semi-finals against Australia. I scored 54* against England and we won that match. Sport is obviously your first love, have you always been good at sport, and how did you choose javelin as your preferred field event? I just loved to play every sport! I got provincial colours in most of the sports I did. After school I got offered an athletics bursary by the North West University from the athletics manager, Terseus Liebenberg. That was in 2002 and 16 years later he is still my javelin coach. I had a very fast arm and that helped me to throw the javelin. I had to learn the technique of javelin throwing but I had the ability to throw a ball extremely far, which made it an easy choice. In your international career has being openly gay been a positive or hindrance when it comes to attitudes of fellow competitors or the public? Most of the athletes that I compete with or my fellow SA teammates know I am gay. I have never felt any judgment from anyone, but as for every hetero relationship, they don’t go, “Hey I am hetero...”. You competed in the 2013 World Championships in Athletics, in Moscow which is known for its intolerance of gay people. Did you experience any homophobia whilst competing there? No, but because I know the Russians aren’t tolerant of gay people I didn’t do anything to attract attention. My partner was with me in Moscow but the only thing we experienced was a lot of drunk and unfriendly people and my partner lost her passport on the Red Square. That was a very traumatic experience and nightmare for us! It seems that you are growing from strength to strength, in 2009 you set a new African record in Belgrade which you broke the following year – then again in 2011 in Korea and in 2012 in New York with a throw of 69.35m! These have obviously been milestones in your career – what was the most exhilarating win and why? Yes, that was a good period for me. I set a few South African and African records in that time. The best competition to be part Mag 21

of was the World Championships in 2011, where I had to throw 68,38m to win bronze! And then the SA record of 69,35m I set in New York in 2012, beating Barbora Spotakova, the world record holder, and becoming world No.1 with that throw! Participation in the Olympics must be every sports-person’s dream, and to win a medal compounds that, how did you feel when you won the silver in Rio 2016? I met the love of my life, LiMari Louw, just after the London Olympic Games. That was a very tough time for me, finishing 4th in the Olympic final when everyone expected of me to win gold. Not only did the most beautiful thing that I have ever felt in my heart happen to me, but that was also the start of the toughest battle I ever had to face. Their reaction was from physical to emotional abuse, rejection, turning their back on me, what is wrong with me, swearing at me, suicide threats, it goes on… Today it is 6 years later I won Commonwealth Games Silver and Bronze, World Championships Bronze, Olympic Silver, 2 African titles and most recently I won the Athletics World Cup in London. I had a decision whether I surrender or fight for the love of my life with everything I had! The journey God took me on is not for everyone, but believe me if I say, everything I achieve today, is because of the fight, character, never give up and die hard attitude of “I will show you...”. If it was not for this difficult period, I wouldn’t be the person I am today. I am an Olympic Silver Medallist and no “homohater” can ever take that away from me. Was it a just reward for all those hours of practice? Yes, it was, because I am at my best when people write me off and because of the very tough emotional road I was on. Will you be competing in the Summer Olympics in Tokyo 2020? Yes, for sure, I will be making history. I will be the first South African ever to compete in 5 Olympic Games - 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016 and 2020. It is period of 20 years of not stopping until I get what I want and that is Olympic Gold and being the Olympic Champion! To reach the levels in you sport and be the world’s best must take hours of dedicated training. Do you train everyday and what is a typical training schedule? I train 6 out of the 7 days, only resting on Sundays when I spend my mornings listening to Christian music and going to church. I do gymnasium work, javelin specific training, boxing, Sweat 1000, CrossFit, hurdles, sprints, jumps and yoga. My training programme consists of a variety of training and I like to challenge myself. I always want to be better than my competitors and will train, harder, longer, faster to be better than the next thrower. I was born with a enormous heart and passion and I know God gave that to me for a reason. My destiny awaits! Your most recent accolade is taking Gold at the IAAF Athletics World Championships in London this year. You career as a competitor is limited, what will you do once you stop competing? I am going to start a School of Champions, where I am going to unearth raw athletics talent locally, train them, manage them, and help them fulfil their dreams! As an openly, proudly gay woman and a positive role model for young lesbians, especially those who are perhaps struggling with their sexual identity, what would be your advice to them? I know it is not always easy for everyone to be openly gay. The hatred, ignorance and judgment is severe. But the best Mag 22

advice, is always to be yourself and stay true to yourself. Be honest from the start about who you are and remember there is NOTHING wrong with you! You are a child of the Almighty God and He has made you who you are. Never stand back for anyone or any situation, be proud of yourself, straight back, chest out and look everyone straight into the eye. Go get them, girl, and love with all your heart! Don’t let anyone steal your joy or loved one! Show balls, character and a lot of integrity! You mentioned earlier that you’re in a relationship Yes, I have been in the most loving, kind, fulfilling, relationship for 6 years with the beat of my heart, LiMari Louw. She is a news anchor at Etv. She is the kindest, most beautiful person who you will ever meet! She is my rock and my safe haven and I feel at my happiest when I am at home with LiMari, my mini me (my boy Henre) and our doggy, Wagtertjie! She took my breath away like no man could ever! My ears were on fire and my heart did things I never felt. And how do you, LiMari and your family cope with all the away time when you are competing internationally? I miss them a lot, we are a very close little family! LiMari travels with me when she is able to and I love having her by my side! I took Henre now with me to Shanghai, for one of the Diamond League meetings, an experience he will always remember. How do you relax and unwind? I love to do outdoor things, go quad biking with Henre, camping, fishing, rowing, anything in the wild! And we also enjoy playing non-stop on the beach {me and Henre}. LiMari has made peace with it that she has two ADD people living with her and now our doggy is ADD too! She brings the calm to the busy household. According to the organisers, the Games of the XXXII Olympiad of the modern era in Tokyo 2020 will be “the most innovative ever organised and will rest on three fundamental principles to transform the world: striving for your personal best (achieving your personal best); accepting one another (unity in diversity); and passing on a legacy for the future (connecting to tomorrow)”. That is a positive, accepting message – What is this your life’s motto? MY motto is the song ‘Rise’ of Katy Perry – I stand for every single word in that song.

MUSIC MOVES CHER BURSTS ON THE MUSIC WORLD WITH ANOTHER ICONIC ALBUM f there ever was a person who is the living embodiment of a gay icon it is Cher and never one to disappoint she will release Dancing Queen, a new album of Abba covers, Warner Bros. Records announced recently.

The singer and actress – who has won Oscar, Emmy, and Grammy Awards – was inspired to record the album following her performance in the recently-released hit film, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, according to the announcement. “I’ve always liked Abba and saw the original Mamma Mia musical on Broadway three times,” Cher said. ”After filming Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, I was reminded again of what great and timeless songs they wrote and started thinking, ‘Why not do an album of their music?’ The songs were harder to sing than I imagined but I’m so happy with how the music came out. I’m really excited for people to hear it. It’s a perfect time.” The album was recorded and produced in London and Los Angeles with Cher’s longtime collaborator Mark Taylor, who previously produced Cher’s global hit single Believe. Ready for the “Dancing Queen” song lineup? Here we go: 1. “Dancing Queen” 2. “Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)” 3. “The Name of the Game” 4. “SOS” 5. “Waterloo” 6. “Mamma Mia” 7. “Chiquitita” 8. “Fernando” 9. “The Winner Takes It All” 10. “One of Us” The album which all self-respecting gay boys and girls are waiting for is getting released on September 28, 2018. And we are sure that the wait will be more than worth it as gay clubs around the world will be thumping out those all time favourite ABBA tunes by the Queen of gay disco. Cher is scheduled to be awarded a Kennedy Center Honour on Dec 2 in Washington DC. She is also a co-producer of the The Cher Show, the upcoming Broadway musical opening on Dec 3, and will be touring Australia and New Zealand in September. She is currently performing a residency at MGM Resorts in Las Vegas. Mag 23

SCENE OUT

DURBAN PRIDE 2018

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Pride 2018 photos courtesy Mambaonline Mag 25

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BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY GRAHAM KING Screening Bohemian Rhapsody for Brian May and Roger Taylor – two founding members, guitarist and drummer, with Queen, one of the giants of rock music – was an emotional experience for Oscar winning producer Graham King. King is a Queen fan. “Oh yes, I bought the albums, I loved them,” he says with a smile. He was also pivotal in shepherding Bohemian Rhapsody on its long journey to the screen. It’s clearly been a labour of love. Focusing on the extraordinary life of frontman Freddie Mercury – played brilliantly by Rami Malek – the film showcases Queen’s triumphant, show stealing performance at 1985’s Live Aid concert at Wembley Stadium in front of an estimated 1.9 billion global TV audience. Gwilym Lee plays May, Ben Hardy is Taylor, Joseph Mazzello is bassist John Deacon and Tom Hollander is Queen’s manager Jim Beach. May, Taylor and Beach are co-producers on the film and as King notes telling a story involving the lives of real people brings an extra responsibility. At his very first meeting with May and Taylor he told them that they would need to create a bond to work together to tell Mercury’s remarkable story. “I’d done the Howard Hughes story (The Aviator), I’d done the Muhammad Ali story (Ali), I was involved in the Tony Mendez story (Argo) and it’s about becoming a family and it’s about trusting each other,” he says. “I said to Brian and Roger ‘I do feel the pressure of telling the story of people who are still alive, a film that will play on 6,000 screens around the world and get talked about.’ Freddie is sadly no longer with us but the rest of the band is. So I said ‘I’m going to do my best to honour that but we all need to work together.’” So screening an early cut of the film for May and Taylor – the men who were there every step of the way as Queen became one of the biggest bands of all time – was, he admits, quite an occasion.

20th Century Fox will be releasing BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY THE CELEBRATION OF FREDDIE’S LIFE & QUEEN’S MUSIC nationally on Friday 30 November. Mag 28 28 Mag

“It was one of the most emotional days I’ve ever had in this business. In fact, I was petrified,” says King. “And I didn’t watch the screening - I watched them watching the film. “I sat in a seat where I could watch them and I

could see the emotion they felt because you can only imagine the memories that would have come flowing back for them as they watched it. It was unbelievable. The silence afterwards was just chilling and it was because I knew they were letting it all sink in.

still alive, a film that will play on 6,000 screens around the world and get talked about.’ Freddie is sadly no longer with us but the rest of the band is. So I said ‘I’m going to do my best to honour that but we all need to work together.’

“It’s their story and they loved Freddie and it was very emotional for them to watch the film. And after a minute or so they looked at me and said ‘it’s great.’ They loved it.”

Q: So there’s a responsibility that comes with telling this story?

King was born in London and moved to the US in 1982. He won the Best Picture Oscar as a producer on Martin Scorsese’s 2006 crime drama The Departed, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson and Mark Wahlberg. He has another two Academy Award Best Picture nominations – for The Aviator (2005) and Hugo (2011), both of which were directed by Scorsese. Over the last 30 years, King has produced or executive produced more than 45 films, grossing $1.2 billion at the US domestic box office and over $2.8 billion worldwide. His films have been nominated for 61 Academy Awards, 38 Golden Globe Awards and 52 BAFTAs. Q: Were you at the Live Aid concert? A: No, my brother was there. I haven’t shown him the film yet but he came to the set when we were shooting the Live Aid scenes. He couldn’t believe how authentic it was. He saw a couple of shoots and I think we were doing Radio Ga Ga and my brother was like ‘oh my God, that’s amazing.’ And you know it was funny because the whole world remembers that song and the crowd participation but coming from England we’re used to that. So for us it wasn’t something that we hadn’t seen before whereas internationally I don’t think they had. In the UK, it was like football crowds singing but if you go to sporting events in America they have no idea of participation like that. So it was awesome for international audiences to see that. And of course, Queen absolutely stole the show that day. Q: How come your brother got to go to Live Aid and you didn’t? A: I was living in Los Angeles. I watched it on TV and was blown away by Queen’s performance. It was amazing. And there was no Internet back then and no streaming. I used to listen to (English) football on a shortwave radio, the BBC World Service on a Saturday. But I remember my brother talking about Live Aid afterwards and just being blown away by it and also by Queen’s amazing performance. Q: Talk us through the project and how it started… A: I was in London shooting Hugo and Peter Morgan (screenwriter) called me and said ‘are you a fan of Queen and Freddie Mercury?’ And I said ‘yes,’ which I was. I loved their music and I had bought all the albums. I was a huge fan and I still am. He said ‘I’m writing this script and I need someone to get involved and I think you’re the perfect guy. I think you would get along with Brian (May), Roger (Taylor) and Jim Beach, Queen’s manager. If you’re interested you should call this guy Miami Beach.’ I said ‘Miami Beach?’ And he said ‘yes, that’s what they call him, his name is Jim Beach and Freddie used to call him “Miami” and it stuck.” So I called him the next day and we had a three-hour phone call and then we all got together in a pub. Obviously I did my due diligence before I met them, as much as I could, and we hit it off really well and I said ‘I’d love to take this one but I’m going to need your help.’ It wasn’t a case of controlling the project or not controlling it but I’d done the Howard Hughes story (The Aviator), I’d done the Muhammad Ali story (Ali), I was involved in the Tony Mendez story (Argo) and it’s about becoming a family and it’s about trusting each other. I said ‘I do feel the pressure of telling the story of people who are

A: Yes there’s a weight on your shoulders when you are developing and putting on the screen someone’s life story when you are sitting there talking to that person – it’s very tough. So we had this meeting and we all got along great and I told them that I wanted to think about the story and the structure and they said ‘we want the story to be about Freddie Mercury, it’s not about Brian May, Roger Taylor and John Deacon.’ Q: What was at the heart of the story for you? A: It was how this man, Freddie Mercury, a young immigrant singer who once worked at Heathrow Airport and then became Freddie the iconic Queen frontman who played in front of 350,000 people in Brazil and at Wembley Stadium for Live Aid, one of the greatest performances ever. It was about what that arc looks like. Q: And how important was finding the right actor to play Freddie Mercury? A: It starts and ends with who plays Freddie. And a guy that works with me, Denis O’Sullivan called me one day when I was in England shooting Allied and said ‘you’ve got to meet Rami Malek. I think he could be Freddie.’ I flew back to LA and Rami came into my office and we had a meeting that lasted three or four hours and he was bouncing off the ceiling because he was so excited (laughs). Q: And what convinced you that he was the one to play Freddie? A: First of all with someone like Rami he has been in the business for a while. And just talking to him for three or four hours you could see that there was something there. You could see that he could get the look and he obviously had the ability. Denis and I just stared at him – I think it made him uncomfortable (laughs). We were transfixed by his mannerisms and it wasn’t that he came in trying to impersonate Freddie Mercury – he was Rami Malek – but there was something natural about him. There was something there. He had obviously done a lot of research on Freddie and there was a passion and an energy there and that’s what it’s about; the passion and energy that he brought to it. We were never looking for an impersonator. It was always part of my conversations with Brian and Roger – we were not making a documentary we were making a theatrical experience. Q: Recreating Queen’s music and capturing the band playing live is a big part of the film. Did you want the actors you cast as the band to be able to play their instruments? A: Yes, we wanted them to be able to play, but that wasn’t going to be the be all end all. And we made sure that they learnt as much as possible. Gwilym Lee spent a lot of time with Brian and Ben (Hardy) spent a lot of time with Roger Taylor. For me first and foremost it was ‘let’s get the acting right, let’s get the chemistry between the four guys in the band right’ and then we’ll work on the rest of it. Q: Because a band is like a gang and you needed to see that on screen? A: Yes, they’re like a family. And we wanted to see that. We had them hang out together all the time and we didn’t have to Mag 29

push them to do that, they wanted to. We didn’t have any egos with the four guys – they are simply great actors. And the one thing that we all had in common was the passion to make this story. I remember saying to them ‘we have one great opportunity here and we have to give it our best shot and we have to cover every base.’ I wanted them to feel the pressure of the storytelling that we were about to do rather than just the pressure of playing their character because that puts pressure on everyone across the board. It’s not just Freddie, Brian, Roger, John and Jim Beach, all the actors in the film had to feel like we were making the right film. Q: What did Brian May and Roger Taylor say to you when they saw the film? A: They’ve seen an early cut and they were speechless. It was very emotional. It was one of the most emotional days I’ve ever had in this business. I was petrified (laughs). I didn’t watch the screening - I watched them watching the film. I sat in a seat where I could watch them and I could see the emotion they felt because you can only imagine the memories that would have come flowing back for them as they watched it. It was unbelievable. The silence afterwards was just chilling and it was because I knew they were letting it all sink in. It’s their story and they loved Freddie and it was very emotional for them to watch the film. After a minute or so they looked at me and said ‘it’s great.’ They loved it. They were in Barcelona with me recently and just to introduce them to an audience was so special. It makes me emotional watching the film and it made me emotional on the first day of shooting. I sat on the Live Aid stage and I couldn’t believe that we were finally making this film. I couldn’t believe that we’d actually got there. Q: So you got to go to Live Aid this time around… A: (laughs). Yes I did. It was an old airfield in Hertfordshire and just fantastic. Then (Live Aid co-organiser and musician) Bob Geldof came out to see us to say ‘hi’ and that was just incredible. It was amazing for Bob. There was one moment when I just broke down and it was like ‘we’re here, we’ve done this.’ Q: There have been some reports that the film hasn’t addressed Freddie’s homosexuality by focusing on his relationship with Mary Austin (Lucy Boynton). Does the film show that part of his life? Mag 30

A: Of course. The film doesn’t shy away from any of those aspects because they were part of who Freddie was. We are not trying to show Mary as anything other than what she was to him. The real fans know that Freddie left a large proportion of his estate to Mary Austin and at one point he was engaged to be married to her and was totally in love with her. She became his lover, his girlfriend, his fiancée and then became his best friend. A lot of people don’t know that and so straight away the finger was pointed. But those reactions are from people who haven’t seen the film. I have! As I say, we don’t shy away from any aspect of who Freddie was but the story is structured far more triumphantly than tragically. The arc follows Freddie from childhood to his historic performance at Live Aid. As with any life story you can focus on certain moments more than others. We were determined to capture as much of the facets of Freddie’s life as possible. We are proud of the storytelling and we can hold our heads up high and say ‘this was Freddie’s life – we didn’t embellish, we didn’t over do it.’ I think there is a fine balance. Q: It’s a crucial role, so let’s talk about Lucy Boynton who plays Mary… A: The casting director, Susie Figgis, did an incredible job of bringing in very talented actors. Lucy just nailed it. Freddie and Mary’s love story is so beautifully done and so sweet. And when Freddie has to make a decision in his life, it just kills you. It’s very moving. Q: How did you approach recreating Queen’s music and in particular Freddie’s voice? A: Rami sings and we had Marc Martel, who is a great singer who sounds just like Freddie. He came into Abbey Road (studios in London) and pre-recorded so much for us and there were points when I don’t think even Brian May could tell who it was. Q: So it’s been an eventful journey but it’s been worth it? A: Oh yes. I think Freddie was a perfectionist and he’s thrown some hurdles for us to get over. I truly believe that there was someone up there stopping us from making the film before but there was someone up there driving me to make the best version of the story.

CUM CELEBRATE SEPTEMBER diary Friday 7th Leather Night - Free entrance with leather gear · Friday 14th Long Schlong Night - Free entrance for 20cm + · Friday 21st Fetish Night - Indulge your fantasies · Sunday 23rd Heritage Day Party: Turn Braai Day into Naai Day · Tuesday 25th Full Moon – Celebrate hedonism with free libation wine · Friday 28th Public Pigz Night Be a pig on the bar counter for an entrance refund · Saturday 29th Cum celebrate Soweto Pride with us OCTOBER diary Friday 5th Leather Night Free entrance with leather gear · Saturday 6th Cum celebrate Pretoria Pride with us · Friday 12th Long Schlong Night Free entrance for 20cm+ · Friday 19th Fetish Night - Indulge your fantasies · Wednesday 24th Full Moon – Celebrate hedonism with free libation wine · Friday 26th Public Pigz Night Be a pig on the bar counter for an entrance refund · Saturday 27th - Jozi Pride: After the march cum join the largest gathering of naked men in Africa. Open from Fri noon till Mon 6am non stop. Food vendor available. NOVEMBER diary Friday 2nd Leather Night Free entrance with leather gear · Friday 9th Long Schlong Night Free entrance for 20cm + · Friday 16th Fetish Night – Indulge your fantasies · Friday 23rd Full Moon – Celebrate hedonism with free libation wine · Friday 30th Public Pigz Night Be a pig on the bar counter for an entrance refund Mondays: Daddies & Toy Boys – R50 entrance between 6 & 9 for under 20s and over 50s Every Tuesday is Buddy Night. Bring a friend for free! Thursdays: Student Night. R50 entrance with student card.

We wish all our patrons a fulfilling and impactful Pride Season

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HEALTH

Biceps are the muscles that every bodybuilder wants to develop. They are most visible and if anyone asks you to flex your muscles, it’s the biceps that everyone wishes to flaunt. Yet they are among the smallest muscles in the body compared to your chest, shoulders, or Trapezius. The biceps, as the name suggests, are made up of two muscle parts: the inner bicep, or the long head, and the outer bicep, or the short head. It’s the development of these parts that gives the impressive “biceps peak,” the pose made famous by the great Arnold Schwarzenegger.

BEST 5 EXERCISES FOR BIG BICEPS 1. Standing Barbell Curl

Standing barbell curl is one of the basic biceps workouts. However it is a powerful workout that works on both the inner and outer biceps. This workout is mainly for building size and basic shape of the biceps. This is a must for beginners hitting the gym for the first time. How to perform: 1. In a standing position, hold the barbell should width apart with arms extended towards the floor. Start with lighter weights. You can add extra weights as you gain strength. 2. Lift the barbell and curl it towards your chest. Make sure that you keep your back straight and shoulders fixed. (Stand against a wall if this helps to keep the body straight) 3. Slowly lower the barbell down, resisting the weight. This lowering is the most important motion as it works on the muscle fibers and develops them. 4. Repeat. - Quantity: 3-4 sets of 10 repetitions each

2. Hammer Curls

Hammer curls are targeted at the brachialis, that runs along the side of the upper arm and comprise your lower biceps. An additional bonus from Hammer curls is that it also develops your Forearm. Mag 34

How to perform: 1. In a standing position, hold dumbbells in both your arms. Make sure that your palms face each other. 2. Keeping your shoulders fixed, lift the dumbbells and curl your biceps. 3. Slowly lower your arms, bringing the dumbbells down. 4. Repeat. - Quantity: 3-4 sets of 10 repetitions each

3. One-Arm Dumbbell Preacher Curl

This is more of an isolation workout as it helps in developing the peak than providing mass to your biceps. But keep in mind that peak is very important for your biceps because no matter how big your biceps are, they will look unimpressive without a good ‘peak’ How to perform: 1. Sit on a preacher bench. Hold dumbbell in one arm while locking your elbow firmly in an extended position on the bench. If required, you can place your other arm under your arm that is holding the dumbbell. 2. Slowly lower the dumbbell till you feel that ‘stretch’ in your biceps.

BIG GUNS!

3. Lift back to original position. 4. Repeat. - Quantity: 3-4 sets of 10 repetitions each

4. Incline Dumbbell Curl

This is a powerful exercise that produces an all-around effect on the biceps providing both mass and shape. If done properly, it gives an amazing pump. Make sure that your start with lower weights.

How to perform: 1. Lie on an incline bench. Hold dumbbells with each arm extended down. Your palms must face each other. 2. Curl the dumbbells up, one arm alternating after the other. 3. Turn your wrists as the dumbbells are raised. Your palms must face towards the ceiling as the weights are raised. 4. Repeat with the other arm. - Quantity: 3-4 sets of 10 repetitions each Courtesy John - Caloriebee

5. Triple 7 (7-7-7) or Biceps 21

This is a very powerful workout that will give your biceps a Turbo pump. This workout consists of a combination of motions and repetitions. This workout can be performed using both Dumbbells and barbell. Do this workout at the end of the routine to give an incredible pump to your biceps How to perform: First 7: 1. Standing with legs shoulder width apart. Hold barbell with your arms extended down. Slowly raise your arms till they become parallel with the floor. 2. Lower down. 3. Repeat for 7 repetitions. Second 7 1. Hold barbell with your arms held parallel to the floor. 2. Curl your above arms towards your chest. 3. Repeat for 7 repetitions. Third 7 1. Hold barbell with your arms extended completely down. 2. Curl your above arms towards your chest completing the entire range of motion. 3. Lower your arms till they are completely down. 4. Repeat for 7 repetitions. Mag 35

THE BUZZ GAY TWITTER STORM

thletes from South Africa were among the thousands of people who convened in Paris on Saturday 4 August for the opening ceremonies of the 10th Gay Games, the aim of which was to raise awareness about gay and transgender rights. ack Whitehall’s role as first major gay Disney character has sparked a row

The actor and comedian is reportedly playing the gay brother of Emily Blunt’s character in Disney film Jungle Cruise A row has broken out on social media with a number of people objecting to a straight person playing a gay role. Whitehall announced on Instagram that he was working on Jungle Cruise, a film based on the Disney theme park ride of the same name, starring Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt. Whitehall is to play the brother of Blunt’s character, and according to a report in the Sun, “he is playing a gay man – one who is hugely effete, very camp and very funny”. With many social media users referencing the recent controversy that resulted in Scarlett Johansson withdrawing from a role as a trans man in Rub & Tug, much of the protest centred around the handing of a pioneering role to a non-gay actor. Another point of contention was the suggestion that Whitehall would play a “camp” and “effete” character. Omar Sharif Jr. tweeted - Really @ Disney #JungleCruise ? Your first significant gay role will be played by a straight white man perpetuating stereotypes? Fail! This ship should sink. Mag 18 Mag Mag36 36

THE HOTTEST

TEAM SA

With Parisian mayor Anne Hidalgo attending the streets of Western Paris were given a splash of colour as a parade of athletes from all over the world paraded behind their respective national flags in a stadium in western Paris - there were acrobats, dancing shows as well as Ada Vox, the first drag queen finalist in American Idol. Over 12,700 participants from 91 countries took part including South Africa - Hlengiwe Buthelezi, Bongani Nyathi, TJ van der Merwe and Dakin Parker were part of the South African contingent. Buthelezi, who is from KwaZulu-Natal, said that one of the highlights of the Games was the opening ceremony. She led the South African delegation onto the field of the Jean-Bouin Stadium while wearing traditional Zulu attire. Dakin Parker, a long distance runner, agreed that the opening ceremony was an unforgettable experience. Saying that even though most of the South Africans hadn’t met before, the team spirit was “awesome.”

Team South Africa (Mamba online)

icky Martin and his husband Jwan Yosef were recently spotted holidaying in Italy.

The absurdly handsome couple were in the Italian seaside resort of Porto Cervo having recently attended the UNICEF Summer Gala alongside Heidi Klum and several other celebrities. Ricky also performed at the event, which helped to raise money to provide care and protection to the world’s most vulnerable children. One of the World’s hottest gay couples sported speedo-style swimwear as they cooled-off in the Med, and took advantage of the heatwave which swept across Europe this summer.

25 Years ago a major motion picture dealing with the issue of AIDS in the gay community was released. The film starred a young Tom Hanks and an equally youthful, drop-dead gorgeous Denzel Washington. If you have not seen the film, make it a must-see on your wish list ... if you have, watch it again, you won’t be disappointed ...

AN ICONIC FILM THAT CHANGED THE WORLD Exerpt from a case study by Jodie Howard on films that changed the world

or it’s 1993 release, the Jonathan Demme film, Philadelphia, set a novel precedent. At this time, the HIV/AIDS virus was essentially a death sentence for the estimated 2.5 million people diagnosed. These dying individuals became pariahs, since many powerful political figures, openly believed that AIDS victims deserved to suffer in silence for their “incredibly offensive and revolting conduct” (The New York Times). Furthermore, Roman Catholic cardinals had condemned the so-called “gay plague” as a “disease of the sinful,” and it became increasingly common for “health care providers [to] refuse to provide [LGBT individuals] needed care because of personal or religious beliefs”. As a result of its stigmatisation, misinformation and fear regarding the contagiousness of the AIDS virus ran rampant throughout the World. Philadelphia was the first major motion picture to ever actually address the widespread issues of HIV/AIDS, homophobia, and discrimination. The film was nominated for the Best Original Screenplay Academy Award and claimed two Oscars for Best Actor, Tom Hanks, and Best Original Song, by Bruce Springsteen. It has since received praise for having initiated and “changed the national conversation about the disease”. The film itself revolves around the character of Andrew Beckett (Tom Hanks), an exceptionally successful lawyer at the largest corporate law firm in Philadelphia. That is, only whilst his

employers remain unaware of his sexual orientation and AIDS diagnosis. In a disturbing turn of events, Andrew is suddenly fired from the firm, due to what he believes is blatant AIDS discrimination, as he can no longer hide the telltale Kaposi’s Sarcoma lesions on his face. Now, desperate for an attorney to take his case, he is forced to procure the services of the homophobic, ambulance-chasing Joe Miller (Denzel Washington). However, as Joe begins to form a relationship with Andy and his gay partner, Miguel Álvarez, he gradually overcomes his own prejudice and gains insight to the terrifying, everyday struggle of innumerable AIDS victims. Joe proceeds to win the court battle for Andy, who succumbs to the fatal disease shortly after testifying. The film gained enough credibility to transcend the heavy stigma associated with media coverage of the so-called “gay plague.” The film also more directly impacted LGBTQ individuals, since many AIDS victims themselves were cast as extras, giving them an opportunity to work after many had lost their jobs or faced difficulties obtaining one due to their illness. Undeniably, the impact of Demme’s film was extremely significant in initiating, on a larger scale, the conversation about AIDS that much of America and a wider world audience had no desire of entertaining. Even to this day, thousands of people contract HIV everyday, and, while the LGBTQ community continues face oppression in many forms, we can be thankful that, due to the production of films such as Philadelphia, considerable progress has been made in regards to these issues over the past 25 years. Mag 37

OUT ON DVD LET’S WATCH DVD’S WITH DANIEL DERCKSEN CHECK OUT THESE GREAT GAY-THEMED MOVIES & SERIES ON DVD PATRICK MELROSE

Based on the semi-autobiographical novels by Edward St. Aubyn from the 1980s through early 2000s.”Patrick Melrose,” a fivepart miniseries on Showtime starring Benedict Cumberbatch, has it all: terrific wealth, drug addiction, British royalty, illicit sex, and unspeakable sadism. Based on five novels written by Edward St Aubyn and featuring the aforementioned Melrose, the series is a horrifying investigation into the long term effects of childhood sexual abuse, the unbearable loneliness of having too much money, and the challenges faced by a man trying to go from getting high to staying clean. That the story is based on St Aubyn’s own life makes its misery-set-in-mansions exploration all the more riveting. Structurally, “Patrick Melrose” interweaves the present narrative and the past narrative as a means of demonstrating how powerfully one’s history can shape one’s present. Melrose as a boy is raised by two utter failures as parents: a mother who cannot protect him and a father who sexually abuses him. Jennifer Jason Leigh plays a pitch perfect version of a mother more interested in boozing than raising her offspring, and Hugo Weaving delivers a monstrous rendition of a sadistic father for whom the only needs worth satisfying are his own. Benedict Cumberbatch delivers an astonishing performance: laugh-outloud to heart-in-the-mouth in the same minute. No other actor would have been able to give such kinetic, kaleidoscopic intensity and charm. Cumberbatch triumphs as the son of a decadent and damaged aristocratic family who embarks on a one-man odyssey of redemption and recovery. Armed with considerable charm and a withering wit, Patrick navigates his debaucherous life from decade to decade, from the South of France to New York and London, proving the Melrose poison is the hardest habit to break.

HURRICANE BIANCA

This deliciously wicked independent comedy was directed and written by Matt Kugelman. The film’s title derives from the starring actor, Bianca Del Rio (Roy Haylock), an American costumer and drag queen, best known for winning the sixth season of RuPaul’s Drag Race. As well as being marketed as a comedy, the film touches on serious social issues, such as the fact that it is legal in 29 U.S states for somebody to be fired from their place of work for being gay. The film’s budget was met largely through extensive crowdfunding. It was introduced and announced years before Del Rio’s rise to fame on RuPaul’s Drag Race. In winning that show, Del Rio was awarded a cash prize of $100,000, garnering more attention for the film. He was able to bring additional attention to it with the casting of not only RuPaul Charles himself, but also other well-known Drag Race alumni: Willam Belli, Shangela Laquifa Wadley (Darius J. Pierce), Joslyn Fox (Patrick Joslyn), and Alyssa Edwards (Justin Johnson). A school teacher named Richard moves from New York City to a small town in Texas, and begins work at a new school. Shortly after this, Richard gets outed by the community in this town and is consequently fired, which is legal under state law in Texas. Mag 38

Benedict Cumberbatch is Patrick Melrose Following this, Richard feels the need to get revenge on the people that were hateful to him, so he returns as Bianca Del Rio, the drag persona of Richard, and spreads his hate and causes mayhem to those that were mean to him, who are oblivious to the fact that Del Rio is actually the previously fired Richard.

A VERY ENGLISH SCANDAL

Starring Hugh Grant and based on a true story, this charming old-fashioned comedy /drama tells the story of Jeremy Thorpe, a member of Parliament who, in 1979, was tried and later acquitted of conspiring to murder his ex-lover, Norman Scott (Ben Whishaw). Beginning in the 1960s, Thorpe is the leader of the Liberal Party, the youngest head of a political party in 100 years. But he is hiding an affair with a man at a time when homosexuality is still illegal. When Scott threatens to reveal the affair, Thorpe decides upon a plan of action that eventually exposes the scandal and leads to a watershed moment in British social and political life, illuminating the level of dark secrets and cover-ups in the British establishment. The real-life scandal of Jeremy Thorpe, the leader of Britain’s Liberal party, consumed the tabloids in the late 1970s, when he was charged and tried for attempting to arrange the murder of Norman Scott, an itinerant former model and stable hand with whom Thorpe had a sexual relationship. Scott survived the bungled late-night shooting in the middle of Exmoor (his Great Dane Rinka, sadly, didn’t, which led to popular jokes about “the dog in the fog”). And the two eventually faced off in court, during which time the U.K. newspapers dissected every salacious detail of Scott’s testimony.

LOVE, SIMON

Love, Simon encourages the audience to be courageous and true to themselves. The life of a teenage gay boy is turned inside out as he is forced to reveal his identity and embrace his sexuality in the endearing film Love, Simon, based on Becky Albertalli’s young adult novel Simon vs The Homo Sapien’s Agenda. Everyone deserves a great love story. But for sixteen-year-old and not openly gay Simon Spier )Nick Robinson) it’s a little more complicated: he’s yet to tell his family or friends he’s gay and he doesn’t actually know the identity of the anonymous classmate he’s fallen for online. Resolving both issues proves hilarious, terrifying and life-changing.

OUT ON FILM ON THE BIG SCREEN WITH DANIEL DERCKSEN SEPTEMBER HIGHLIGHTS

for murder and condemned to life in the notorious penal colony on Devil’s Island.

Kevin Spacey stars in BILLIONAIRE BOYS CLUB (14/ 9), based on the real life club for wealthy graduates of the Harvard School in the 80s who resorted to kidnapping and murder when their funds ran out.

Lucas Hedges is sensational in BOY ERASED (26/10) as the son of a Baptist pastor in a small American town, who is outed to his parents (Nicole Kidman and Russell Crowe) at age 19. Jared is faced with an ultimatum: attend a gay conversion therapy program – or be permanently exiled and shunned by his family, friends, and faith. Written and directed by Joel Edgerton, it is the true story of one young man’s struggle to find himself while being forced to question every aspect of his identity. It also stars Troye Sivan (Spud).

A SIMPLE FAVOR (21/9) Anna Kendrick plays a mommy vlogger who seeks to uncover the truth behind her best friend Emily’s sudden disappearance from their small town in the stylish thriller filled with twists and betrayals, secrets and revelations, love and loyalty, murder and revenge. In THE CHILDREN ACT (21/9) Emma Thompson is an eminent High Court judge in London who is asked to rule on the case of a brilliant boy (Fionn Whitehead), who is refusing the blood transfusion that will save his life. John Travolta is back in action in GOTTI (21/9) that follows the infamous crime boss’ rise to become the “Teflon Don” of the Gambino Crime Family in New York City. In THE TITAN (21/9) Sam Worthington plays a hotshot Air Force pilot who is chosen for a military experiment that will create a human being capable of surviving the harsh environments of Saturn’s moon, TITAN. This thrilling true story OPERATION FINALE (28/9) follows the 1960 covert mission of legendary Mossad agent Peter Malkin as he infiltrates Argentina and captures Adolf Eichmann, the Nazi officer who masterminded the transportation logistics that brought millions of innocent Jews to their deaths in concentration camps.

NOVEMBER HIGHLIGHTS Lucas Hedges - Boy Erased In the new A STAR IS BORN (12/10) Bradley Cooper directs and stars as a seasoned musician who discovers—and falls in love with—struggling artist Ally (Lady Gaga). Gaga performs original songs in the film, which she wrote with Cooper and a handful of artists, including Lukas Nelson, Jason Isbell and Mark Ronson. Jamie Lee Curtis returns to her iconic role in HALLOWEEN 2018 (19/10) and comes to her final confrontation with the masked figure who has haunted her since she narrowly escaped his killing spree on Halloween night four decades ago. Charlie Hunnam stars in the remake of PAPILLON (19/10) based on the international best-selling autobiography that follows the epic story of a safecracker from the Parisian underworld who is framed

Melissa McCarthy stars in the adaptation of the memoir CAN YOU EVER FORGIVE ME? (2/11) the true story of best-selling celebrity biographer (and friend to cats) who turns her art form to deception, abetted by her loyal friend Jack (Richard E. Grant). Chris Hemsworth stars in BAD TIMES AT THE EL ROYALE (9/11). Seven strangers, each with a secret to bury, meet at a run-down hotel in Lake Tahoe in 1960s California. Over the course of a fateful night, they all get one last shot at redemption before everything goes wrong. WIDOWS (16/11) is a heist thriller set against the backdrop of crime, passion and corruption. It tells the story of four women with nothing in common except a debt left behind by their dead husbands’ criminal activities, and conspire to forge a future on their own terms.

On the local front, THE RECCE (28/9) tells the story of how the South African Defence Force declared young Recce Henk Viljoen dead behind enemy lines and how it’s up to him alone to use everything he’s learnt and knows to make it back to his family; and in Leli Maki’s comedy TABLE MANNERS (28/9) a wife and mother finds solace and hope in cooking, learning that all she needs is life’s three courses – family, food and love.

Leon Schuster returns in FRANK & FEARLESS (23/11) as a loveable old man, who sets out to kidnap the ambassador of a South-East Asian country in an attempt to stop rhino slaughter

OCTOBER HIGHLIGHTS Cannot wait to see Tom Hardy as the lethal protector VENOM (5/10), an investigative journalist and the host of an extraterrestrial symbiote that gives him “incredible powers”, along with a hideous alter-ego.

Based on the best-selling pair of memoirs from father and son David and Nic Sheff, BEAUTIFUL BOY (2/11) chronicles the heartbreaking and inspiring experience of survival, relapse, and recovery in a family coping with addiction over many years. It stars Timothée Chalamet (Call Me By Your Name) as the son, with Steve Carell as his dad.

Chris Hemsworth - Bad Times at the El Royale

The spellbinding and romantic supernatural thriller I STILL SEE YOU (23/11) takes place ten years after an apocalyptic event left the world haunted by ghosts, where Bella receives a threatening message from beyond the grave. Mag 39

ON STAGE

LIVE ENTERTAINMENT AT ITS BEST WITH DANIEL DERCKSEN GATE69 PRESENTS THE THREE LITTLE PIGS, AN ADULT PANTO

Sept, and from 2 December he returns with his most beloved character, Aunty Merle Abrahams from Belgravia Road in Athlone, who sashays back onto the stage for a return season of the musical-comedy Aunty Merle, The Musical.

he Three Little Pigs is coming to Gate69, as never seen before! The age old tale, laden with life lessons, has been told at some point or other to every impressionable child by a well-meaning parent or teacher hoping to impart upstanding values in millions of little grown-ups-in-waiting. All good and well but, according to Cathy Specific, “you don’t know the half of it! Whomever wrote this rather menacing little folktale likely had his Victorian blinders on and skipped the juicy details, as usual.” Fortunately, Gate69’s Trolley Dollies who by their own admission have never stood a snowballs chance in hell of developing anything approaching decent morals, have read between the lines and uncovered a new version of the story, there own risqué revelation, strictly for adults. Who knew that those dirty little piggies were in fact three boys with a penchant for dressing up as girls and playing with other boys. Or that the big bad wolf was the original big bad boy who didn’t mean Sunday Lunch when he said he wanted to sink his pearly whites into some pork crackling! Cathy, Molly and Holly are busting their bacon to bring clarity, and by the time they’re done, there’ll be no mistaking what went down and what’s come up. The Three Little Pigs turns the kindergarten myth upside down, and is set to be a hilarious romp running from spring through the festive season. Pink is the new black and these girly-boys will have audiences hamming it up late into the night! The Three Little Pigs opens at Gate69 on the corner of Bree and Hout Street. The season starts on 14 September and performances run from Wednesday to Saturday at 8.15pm with recommended arrival at 6:30pm for a hug and a kiss from Cathy Specific on the red carpet. Tickets cost R500-R595 per person which includes the show ticket and a tasty gourmet tapas offering. Booking is through www.gate69.co.za or 0210351627. PG18.

BEATLEMANIA ON TOUR

udiences can expect to see classic Beatles hits such as Can’t Buy Me Love, All My Loving, Please Please

Mag 40

JOHANNESBURG

Me, I Wanna Hold Your Hand, She Loves You, Day Tripper, Nowhere Man, Help, Yellow Submarine, Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band and Hey Jude performed throughout the two-hour spectacular. The cast includes the talented singers Joe Kane (as Paul McCartney), Zac Coombs (as John Lennon), Brent McMullen (as George Harrison) and Ben Harper (as Ringo). The handsome foursome have gone the extra mile to make the show true to life and The Mother City fans of The Beatles are in for a treat, says lead singer, Joe Kane. “We have never been to Cape Town with the show before so we are all looking forward to experiencing Cape Town and its audiences. Fans can expect to see ten years of musical history from the finest pop band of all time condensed into two hours of high-octane, rock & roll fun.” With previous sold-out shows across the US, Canada, Dubai, Hong Kong, Australia and New Zealand under its belt, the production is looking to uphold its reputation as one of the world’s best Beatles tributes, and the show’s producers are confident it will do just that. From 31 October - 11 November at Artscape Opera House. Bookings at Computicket. Visit: beatlemaniaontour.com

CAPE TOWN At The Kalk Bay Theatre you cannot miss Big Boys The Third with the sexy dancing brothers Ash and Brad Searle in action from 2- 6 Oct, as they banter in their inimitable style, and debate the challenges of impending fatherhood; and from 9 Oct – 3 Nov you can enjoy the musical magic of Lucy and Alex Tops, with Gary Naidoo in Bar None. Visit: www.kalkbaytheatre.co.za At the Baxter Theatre Marc Lottering is his latest stand-up material until 29

At the Montecasino Theatre Deep Fried Man, whose unique blend of music, comedy and satire has been seen on television, radio and comedy stages nationwide, is back with all-new material for his fifth solo show In Good Taste 2.0 from 5-16 Sept at the Studio Theatre; Rocco de Villiers celebrates 20 years of blood, sweat, tears and survival as a piano player in South Africa with Just Be Yourself at the Main Theatre from 3 -1 4 October; and from 26 Nov you can see A Christmas Carol, is a sensory delight for any tired soul featuring an original score by Wessel Odendaal, animation by Naret Loots, and direction by Elizma Badenhorst. Book at Computicket At the Joburg Theatre you can experience the magic of Cirque Infernal, direct from Europe, on the Mandela stage from 6 – 23 Sept. Inspired by Federico Fellini, Wim Wenders and Tim Burton, Cirque Infernal offers non-stop captivating entertainment with astonishing and death-defying acts ; champion rugby player John Robbie makes his pantomime debut in Janice Honeyman’s Snow White, The Fairest Panto in All The Land! Opens on 3 November. Call the theatre’s VIP Ticketing office on (011) 877 6917 or (011) 877 6853 Matilda The Musical in Johannesburg and Cape Town - 17 October at the Teatro at Montecasino and from 11 December at Artscape Opera House. It tells the story of an extraordinary little girl who, armed with a vivid imagination and a sharp mind, dares to take a stand and change her own destiny.

THE SHOWROOM THEATRE PRINCE ALBERT Take a break and escape to the heart of the Karoo for some world-class entertainment: Gerald Clark’s Afrocoustic (5 Oct), Rocco de Villiers’ Beautiful, Beautiful Hymns (2 Nov), Jannie du Toit (17 Dec), Andre The Hilarious Hypnotist (18 December), Coffee Snobs (22 Dec) and Golden Oldies (31 Dec). Visit www. showroomtheatre.co.za Experience Theatre Live and visit www.writingstudio.co.za, featuring listing of theatres in South Africa and internationally.

#Braveis when you know that taking PrEP doesn’t make you a hoe Taking PrEP is a responsible part of HIV prevention. Call, text or WhatsApp Call4Care to find out more about PrEP and where there is a clinic that is gay-friendly. You can even send a ‘please-call-me’. Call4Care | 071 683 3226 Monday to Friday | 09h00 - 16H00

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