LEEDS PRIDE 2011 APPROACHING FAST

Yes its coming up fast and threes lots of preparations in hand fundraising is well underway and because of the new constitution we need the money upfront to be able to pay for all the various services on the days the venues have been sending their pledges in and a lot of them are holding various fundraising events between now and august please try to support as many as possible as every penny raised counts to ensure the event stays free wristbands should hopefully be arriving soon and on sale in the venues and the official anthem is available to download see link on main page

IT’S L.FF. WEEK AGAIN!!!! YES THE UK's No1 monthly TRANS EVENT takes place in LEEDS this Friday and once again we welcome all members of the community
Leeds First Friday in the Month – Transgender Event

May was a great success with a fantastic turn out of over 150 people attended again, probably now officially THE biggest monthly Transgender event outside London.

There seemed to be more admirers/guys turn out for the May event than usual, which was fantastic to see.

FIBRE continues to be a great success and the feedback has been extremely positive. Fibre will be providing a fantastic FREE BUFFET EVERY MONTH from about 10PM. So you'll need to get there quick before it all goes - cos when it's gone - it's gone!!

The night is loosely planned as such:

7pm - 8pm - Cosmopolitan hotel bar (for those who like to start early)

8pm - 9.30pm - Blayds Bar

9.30pm - midnight - FIBRE - Free Buffet available from 10pm!!

Midnight - 5am - The Loft @ Queens Court

ABOUT FIBRE: We have our own private bar, dance floor, seating and a balcony for those who want to stand outside and for those who smoke.

BLAYDES BAR is located in the centre of the gay area (Pink Triangle) on Lower Briggate in Leeds. Lovely yard to stand outside and have a drink in summer. There are many Trans friendly bars and clubs located very close by.

THE LOFT @ QUEENS COURT is just across the courtyard from Fibre! Very trans friendly and the staff are very welcoming to everyone attending the LFF event:

• 2 dance floors and 2 dance podiums for all you exhibitionists
• Separate bar and spacious seating area.

The Loft @ Queens Court have kindly offered us the use of the upstairs area for those girls wishing to change for the event. Please contact myself, Queens Court directly for more information.

There is parking available at the nearby NCP car park on Boar Lane (entrance on Swinegate) and street parking in Leeds is free from 6.00pm onwards

So come along meet people - make new friends and enjoy yourselves

The event usually starts at about 8.00 pm and afterwards many of the girls go off to many of the other of the close by “watering holes” such as, the Viaduct, Queens Court, the Bridge, Birdcage & Mission2, all trans friendly.

In world news this week a few snippets from around the globe
Wendy Williams' husband, Kevin Hunter, is rumoured to have been caught cheating with a transvestite prostitute known as Monica.
Williams has been married to Hunter since 1998 and they have not been without their problems, with former employee Nicole Spence having sued Williams claiming that Hunter had tried it on sexually with her while she was at work.
But now it has been claimed that Hunter has been having a relationship with Monica, also known as Mistress Terri hmmmmm
I AM MY OWN WIFE!! THIS PLAY IS STILL ON TOUR AND RECEIVING GOOD REVIEWS
I Am My Own Wife is a theatrical example of “Things are not as they seem.”

A little old lady who wears pearls, and runs a house museum in Berlin – well, that’s perfectly normal, right?

As both the audience and one of the play’s characters find out, there is more to Charlotte von Mahlsdorf than meets the eye. I Am My Own Wife is a play based on a true story of a playwright’s interviews in the 1990s with the German transvestite, later forming the play before our eyes at the Street Theatre.

The tale is of American visitor Doug, who thinks Charlotte’s story is an ideal subject for a play, and his character arc begins from awkward ignorant American to a savvy cosmopolitan, who uncovers the dark history behind Charlotte’s life. The interviews between Charlotte and Doug delve back into pre-WW2 realisation of Charlotte, néeLothar’s, early transvestite lifestyle, through to WW2’s dramas and then Charlotte’s survival, if not successes, in East Berlin during the Cold War. So much so was Charlotte’s achievement of preserving gay culture and late 19th century design that she was awarded a state decoration.

I Am My Own Wife comes from a distinguished theatrical history both off and on Broadway, having won two Tony awards and a Pulitzer Prize. Why is this so? The script by Doug Wright is an original gem, presenting the uncut diamond that is Charlotte’s life, which to others for so long shone so brightly. It could so easily have been a gay icon underdog story, but as truth is, everyone good has a dark side, and vice versa.

You don’t need a degree in modern history to get what’s going on in the play; just the knowledge that the years and place in which Charlotte lived did not welcome cross-dressers in the slightest.

The underlying question through I Am My Own Wife is how on earth did an overt transvestite survive Nazi Germany and Stasi-rife East Berlin? Chipping away at assumptions and stereotypes to get to the core reveals the answer: that to survive, you must look out for number one. In real life, while writing the play, Wright found out the truth about Charlotte’s past, and he shelved the project for six years before approaching the content from a new angle.

We’ve heard so much about the treatment of the Jews during Nazi Germany, but there is less told of the wrath inflicted on homosexuals and anyone deviating from the ‘norm’ of Aryan behaviour. While this historical backdrop seems like the play would be a depressing sob-fest, instead there are many light moments as we marvel atCharlotte’s strong personality, sass, and the incongruity of her masculine features paired to such feminine behaviour.

As soon the he enters the stage, Robert Jarman shimmies the character of Charlotte through his every movement and gesture, posture and mannerisms that of a cultured dame in Berlin. Charlotte’s cheeky but authoritative side endears the audience to her immediately, and it seems she can do no wrong. Jarman then segues to 40 other characters in both voice and body language – an astounding achievement considering there is only one change of costume.

Along the way we’re transported to a fearful childhood, not so much from the bombs, but from the violent wrath of Lothar’s father, then into the bohemian den of 1960s underground homosexuality, and through the Stasi Big Brother era of who’s doing what-when-why-how.

With only one man on a small stage in two acts, how does the production keep the audience’s interest? A combination of set design, lighting, sound and direction means that there are enough intrigues.

Robert Jarman is perfect for the role/s – he combines his obvious masculinity into a petite package of firecracker that is the dainty, pearl-wearing Charlotte. Though my knowledge of German is limited to episodes of TV series Inspector Rex (Austrian!), I got the impression that Jarman’s German accent was spot-on, as was his American lilt and German-English. The scene of visiting the West was particularly funny, contrasting with the earlier and more shocking boyhood crime – showing that Jarman can bond with the audience no matter the character’s demons.

The set design is a treasure trove of nooks and crannies that open up and set the different scenes well, so that we are aware of the when, where and who elements in such a criss-cross woven tale.

The emotional moments are heightened by the lighting and sound, particularly the grainy phonograph recordings, which provide escapism for Charlotte’s tragic moments.

What didn’t work so well was the pace mid-way through the second act, where things seemed to drag on a bit. By then we knew who Charlotte was, and it was thus fulfilling Doug’s character arc that remained. Also, the two American characters of John and Doug were too similar in portrayal as to be confusing at times.

Coming good in the end though was the fitting finale: a vision of innocence left a question in our minds. Are circumstances what make us who we are, or are we already that way?

Gay, straight, cross-dresser or not, anyone with an interest in human nature, and particularly modern Europeans history, will enjoy the play. I Am My Own Wife is an example of theatre at its core: to reveal characters in a way that you reveal the audience.

Makeovers are also available by MAC, NARS and Lucy Locket (look at her profile on tvchix.com please ask for more details.

The Event continues to go from strength to strength every month - so here is a BIG Thank You to everyone who supports LFF and also to those who promote the event here on Chix.

(This is a Social Event and is a meeting place for T-girls + their partners + Admirers and friends - it is TOTALLY FREE and non-moneymaking Event.)

HOME FOR 2 CATS?
LEESAH AND I still need a home for our 2 pussy's JINGLE AND BELLE 7 yrs old sisters both neutered and house trained JINGLE is black and BELLE is a TABBY need to be rehomed in the next four weeks any offers please contact us via the editor

There’s not been a lot happening on the world news front this week so it’s a slightly smaller than normal TIME FOR T this week hopefully more content next week
Hope to see you all out Friday!!!!!
xxxx
SUSAN PLATT