Glasgay! 2014 Preview
Glasgay! is to be an even bigger celebration than usual this year as the festival turns 21 and the festival's producer, Steven Thomson, celebrates his tenth year at the helm
Steven Thomson has brought Glasgay! from a small festival lasting two weeks to the month-long affair it is today, attracting thousands of visitors and a wealth of talent from established acts and emerging artists from all over the world creating an international celebration of true equality. Over the ten years of Thomson’s tenure there have been many awards given to him as producer, to the festival, and to Glasgow as Glasgay! has grown in strength, gaining funding and sponsorships to continue its annual appearance on the Glasgow scene.
This year is an exploration of historical, contemporary and social taboos with a look at how the lives of the LGBTQI community are understood and accepted. Glasgay! in general goes a long way in achieving wider acceptance, and with a strong line up of old hands and fresh voices it is safe to say this year can only push it further.
The big name of the festival comes in the controversial shape of John Waters, a film-making legend who does not have the word taboo in his vocabulary, making him the perfect guest for this year's theme. Waters will surely bring plenty of laughs, debauchery, and wit to the stage with This Filthy World 2.
The controversy continues with theatre piece Cardinal Sinne by Raymond Burke, a tale based on the allegations of child abuse against the church. Dark subject matter to be used for comedy and maybe not to everyone's taste, however as this year Glasgay! is all about exploring taboos it seems to fit into the programme very well.
Alongside names such as Pamela Carter who brings Slope, an exploration of the love affair between 19th-century poets Verlaine and Rimbaud, comes new writing from Village Pub Theatre who hail from Leith to present a series of script-in-hand performances covering subjects such as sex, HIV, and power with the aid of Guy Fawkes, hotels and butchers.
Drew Taylor’s Howl(ing) looks set to be a highlight, in association with Glasgay! and the Scottish Mental Health & Arts Film Festival, using the poem of Allen Ginsberg as the basis for a post-referendum performance. As does Rosana Cade’s presentation of Lady Fingers & Empire Biscuits which takes a look at the relationship between Britain and India, in particular at the idea that India never condemned same sex relationships until Britain’s rule in 1860. This performance should be well informed as Cade herself travelled to India to research and interview for this piece.
Alongside the annual appearance from Craig Hill with Give Him An Inch..., Stephen K Amos brings his new show Welcome to My World, Sara Pascoe vs History explores romance, existentialism and culture while Vikki Stone: Instrumental brings quirky back with an inventive and musical performance.
The film portion of proceedings brings a wonderful selection covering a range of topics such as race, gender, and gay marriage with classics such as Dog Day Afternoon and the more recent 2014 film Love is Strange, all being shown at Glasgow Film Theatre.
A decent portion of this year's Glasgay! programme is made up of emerging artists giving them an excellent platform to get their work seen and be creative in their content, especially for those whose work roots itself in queer discourse, such as Rosana Cade. Being part of an impressive festival such as Glasgay! will surely do no harm to their reputations.
2014 is a special year for Glasgay! and with such a varied programme it will be hard for this one to fall flat. And, with the intensity of the referendum still lingering, the festival may go a long way in clearing the air and pushing Glasgow forward into a brighter future.