Gary Everett, Artistic Director, has programmed a blend of international premieres, original commissions, emerging artists and established stars to celebrate 10 years of presenting the best of queer culture. He explains, “In 2004 we set out to unite communities around high quality cultural experiences with a handful of events in small-scale venues. The festival has grown with our ambition and our audiences and Liverpool has embraced the lesbian, gay and transgender experience; so much so that you will find Homotopia at the Philharmonic Hall, the Walker Art Gallery and the Museum of Liverpool this year.
This is in stark contrast to the experience of L.G.B.T. Russians who have witnessed retrogressive laws banning queer cultural expression introduced in Russia and a huge increase in violent homophobia. I believe it makes our work supporting and commissioning gay artists increasingly important.”
APRIL ASHLEY: PORTRAIT OF A LADY 27th September to 21st September 2014 Museum of Liverpool
This unique and ground-breaking year-long exhibition of trans* history places the previously unseen private archive of April Ashley M.B.E. alongside new oral histories from individuals across the gender spectrum to explore changing social and legal conditions for all British transsexuals. Born in Liverpool in 1935, April, a former Vogue model and actress was one of the first people in the world to undergo pioneering gender reassignment surgery. As one of the most famous transgendered individuals and a tireless campaigner for transgender equality, she is an icon and inspiration to many. Listen to audio clips and see exhibition preparations at www.aprilashley.org.uk
Free
DAVID HOCKNEY: EARLY REFLECTIONS 11th October 2013 to 16th March 2014
Walker Art Gallery
Featuring work from the Walker’s own collection, including Peter Getting out of Nick’s Pool, which won the John Moores Painting Prize in 1967, together with key pieces from the Arts Council Collection and other loans, the exhibition explores Hockney’s early influences between1960 to 1978. Through recurring obsessions such as the evolving references to his own homosexuality, depictions of the reflective qualities of water and his persistent return to portraiture, the exhibition of around 40 works, reveals how his style, which flourished during the 1960s, had changed dramatically by the early 1970s.
Free
JOHN WATERS ‘THIS FILTHY WORLD’ 8th November. 8pm Liverpool Philharmonic Hall
Exclusive U.K. appearance. The incomparable writer, director and actor John Waters’ one-man show is a vaudeville act that celebrates the film career and obsessional tastes of the man William Burroughs once called “The Pope of Trash.” The creator of Pink Flamingos, Hairspray, Serial Mom and more than a dozen other cult hits, focuses on his early negative artistic influences and his fascination with true crime, exploitation films, fashion lunacy, and the extremes of the contemporary art world.
Tickets £20, £26 Box office 0151 709 3789 www.liverpoolphil.com
BOY GEORGE & TRADEMARK (AKA MARK WARDEL) THIS WAY OUT
30th October to 25th November 11am- 5pm Camp and Furnace
Homotopia commision. This collaborative exhibition is the first time pop icon, D.J. and photographer Boy George has publicly exhibited his photo/graphic artworks. Working with club culture pop painter TradeMark, the exhibition explores identity, specifically the notion of the constructed identities adopted by anyone trying to live outside the heterosexual mainstream. The show will feature portraits of subcultural gay icons like Divine, Jackie Curtis, Lou Reed, Iggy Pop and Leigh Bowery as well as contemporary photographs of some of the original gay punks and Philip Sallon, the first person to wear a bin liner and Steve Strange the seminal New Romantic.
BOY GEORGE – IN CONVERSATION 14th November 6pm St George’s Hall
The ever candid pop icon, D.J., director and photographer Boy George discusses his life and work with radio broadcaster Janice Long. Since 1982, when George’s androgyny shocked a closeted and homophobic world, he has continued to challenge the conventional and orthodox. Now exploring his creativity in visual media exclusively for Homotopia George will be joined on stage by long-time friend and Wirral born artist TradeMark to discuss their collaborative exhibition This Way Out.
Tickets £16 Box office 0151 709 3789 www.homotopia.net
GERM FREE ADOLESCENTS 30th October – 25th November 11am – 5pm The Met Quarter
Combining rare and original artefacts donated to L.J.M.U. Special Collections and Archives by former X-Ray Spex manager Falcon Stuart this exhibition documents the life and music of the iconic Poly Styrene (Marion Elliot Said), a revolutionary musical and cultural figure and an inspiration to a generation of young women who would fight dominant definitions of femininity.
FREE
EARTHFALL CHELSEA HOTEL 1st and 2nd November 8pm Unity Theatre
Take a journey to New York’s iconic Chelsea Hotel with award-winning Earthfall. A voyeuristic exploration of its inhabitants lives, loves and longings. From Andy Warhol to Jack Kerouac and Dylan Thomas to Patti Smith, stories both true and false combine through radical dance, live music and film capturing significant moments in the history of this rebel artist mecca.
£10 (£8 concs) Box office 0844 873 2888 www.unitytheatreliverpool.co.uk
SANDI TOKSVIG MY VALENTINE 5th November 8pm Liverpool Philharmonic Hall
Comedian, novelist, actor long-standing host of Radio 4’s News Quiz and Excess Baggage Sandi will be performing her uniquely witty evening of stand-up, stories and fascinating facts and also signing copies of Valentine Grey after the show. The show is directed by award-winning theatre and television director and producer Pip Broughton.
£20, £26 Box office 0151 709 3789 www.liverpoolphil.com
NEIL MCKENNA FANNY & STELLA 6th November 6pm The Bluecoat
An extraordinary true tale of cross-dressing and gay sub-culture in 19th-century London is revealed in Neil McKenna’s new book, Fanny & Stella. His dazzling account of the arrest and sensational trial of Fanny Park and Stella Boulton – scandalously revealed to be two young men – is a meticulous evocation of the underbelly of Victorian society with a cast of peers, politicians and prostitutes, drag queens, doctors and detectives. Neil McKenna takes us into this fascinating secret world as he talks about his latest work, which returns to the period he mined so brilliantly in his acclaimed The Secret Life of Oscar Wilde.
£6/£5 Box Office 0151 702 5324 www.thebluecoat.org.uk
DIVA DEBATES LET’S TALK ABOUT SEX, BABY! 7th November 6pm The Bluecoat
Jane Czyzselska, Campbell X, Paris Lees, Caroline Walters, Dr Meg Barker.
According to sex writer Emily Dubberley there is nothing forbidden in the realm of female fantasy but queer women’s desires are rarely publicly debated or shared. To shed a little light on our diverse community’s desires, DIVA magazine has invited four speakers – sexperts in their own way – to open up a lively and arousing debate. Host, DIVA editor Jane Czyzselska, hopes to inspire audience members to bring and share their own desires, stories and dilemmas at this exciting 90 minute event.
Free but pre-booking advised Box Office 0151 702 5324 info@thebluecoat.org.uk
DANCE TRIPLE BILL: DENADA DANCE THEATRE/ GARY CLARKE/ TMESIS THEATRE
9th Nov 7pm Unity Theatre
A night of new works featuring female dancers. Young Man! From DeNada Dance Theatre is a meaty, bold duet spiked with memories of your favourite Almodóvar films. Carlos Pons Guerra’s fatal and kitschy duel of seduction promises to subvert perceptions. Cameo Cookie by Gary Clarke performed by Eleanor Perry is the story of Anita Bryant, the American singer and hard-boiled beauty queen who campaigned in the 1970s to crush the gay rights movement. A scintillating mix of movement and gesture, music, spoken word, props, gimmicks and a splash of irony. Variations of the Heart– choreographed by Elinor Randle for Tmesis is a passionate duet between two women and a story of the human heart, it’s power, and it’s many variations. Firstly inspired, and using live recordings from Meike Holzmann and Egle Mei’s musical project, Heart Variations for String Quartet; an incredible story of over thirty people’s hearts.
£10/£8 Box office 0844 873 2888 www.unitytheatreliverpool.co.uk
CAZ ‘N’ BRITNEY PRESENT ‘MIS LES’ 13th November and Saturday 16th November 8pm, 14th November & Friday 15th November 9.15pm
Homotopia Commision.Written and performed by Keddy Sutton and Gillian Hardie. Mis Les – a Revolution in Rollers promises the return of the inimitable, hilarious, Caz ‘n’ Britney, with a brand new show after their sell out stretch in Scottie Road The Musical (From Primark to Prison) Follow the girls on their journey across the barricades to the back & beyond. ‘Best Double Act Of The Year 2011’ (Liverpool Theatre’s Best of 2011)
£14/£12 Box office 0844 873 2888 www.unitytheatreliverpool.co.uk
Both events are free but pre-booking essential at the Walker Welcome Desk or call 0151 478 4199.
I AM A WOMAN NOW 16th November 2pm Museum Of Liverpool
This powerful documentary directed by Michiel van Erp gives us privileged and rare access to some of the first generation of transgendered women. In the mid-1950s to early 1960s these pioneers visited ‘miracle doctor’ Georges Brurou at his practice in Casablanca. This group of five women can now look back on over 50 years of life as transgendered and their journey back in time gives us a real sense of how their lives changed. Among the stars of this fascinating film are April Ashley M.B.E. and some other performers who originally met as professional female impersonators at the famous Parisian nightclub, Le Carrousel. No other film has covered this ground in such depth and with such skill.
Free
Other shows are on during the course of Homotopia, check www.homotopia.net for details.
Ian D. Hall