Blowing Whistles
Encyclopedia
Blowing Whistles is a two-act theatrical play written by Matthew Todd
, the current editor of the UK's best selling gay magazine Attitude
. It centers around gay culture and the difficulties it presents gay men. It had a first run in June 2005 at the Warehouse Theatre
, Croydon
, where it was directed by Phil Willmott
. Following this it was performed at Sound Theatre off Leicester Square
, London
in 2006, and has since seen productions in Sydney
, Melbourne
, Adelaide
, Fire Island (New York
), Boston
, Palm Springs
and Fort Lauderdale.
It returned to London
transferring to the Leicester Square Theatre in 2008 in a production by Jonathan Altaras, directed by Pete Nettell who directed the Sydney production. It received overwhelmingly positive notices from such diverse publications as the gay press through to the right wing Spectator. The London Evening Standard
compared it to Henrik Ibsen
's A Doll's House
, and The Stage
compared it to the work of Larry Kramer
.
Currently in discussion for 2010 is an Australian and UK tour with a possible return to Sydney and London.
. Some issues the characters go through include commitment, immaturity, gay relationships and sexual identity.
The play is widely recognised as giving the illusion of being a light gay comedy in the first act before taking a darker, powerful turn in the second.
Matthew Todd
Matthew Todd is a playwright, stand up comedian and journalist. He is the author of the critically acclaimed play Blowing Whistles and is currently the editor of the UK gay magazine Attitude and was nominated by the British Society of Magazine Editors as Best Editor of the year 2009, 2010 and 2011...
, the current editor of the UK's best selling gay magazine Attitude
Attitude (magazine)
Attitude is a British gay lifestyle magazine owned by Vitality Publishing. It is sold worldwide as a physical magazine and a digital download for the iPad and iPhone via the App Store. The first issue appeared in May 1994....
. It centers around gay culture and the difficulties it presents gay men. It had a first run in June 2005 at the Warehouse Theatre
Warehouse Theatre
The Warehouse Theatre is a professional producing theatre with one hundred seats in the centre of the London Borough of Croydon, south London, England based in an oak-beamed former cement Victorian warehouse...
, Croydon
Croydon
Croydon is a town in South London, England, located within the London Borough of Croydon to which it gives its name. It is situated south of Charing Cross...
, where it was directed by Phil Willmott
Phil Willmott
Phil Willmott is a British director, playwright, arts journalist, teacher, and founder of London based theatre production company, The Steam Industry.He was the Artistic Director of the Finborough Theatre in London's Earl's Court from 1994 to 1999....
. Following this it was performed at Sound Theatre off Leicester Square
Leicester Square
Leicester Square is a pedestrianised square in the West End of London, England. The Square lies within an area bound by Lisle Street, to the north; Charing Cross Road, to the east; Orange Street, to the south; and Whitcomb Street, to the west...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in 2006, and has since seen productions in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
, Fire Island (New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
), Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, Palm Springs
Palm Springs
Palm Springs is a desert city in CaliforniaPalm Springs may also refer to:* Palm Springs, Florida* Palm Springs, Hong Kong, a residential development in Yuen Long, Hong Kong* Coachella Valley, also known as the Palm Springs area...
and Fort Lauderdale.
It returned to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
transferring to the Leicester Square Theatre in 2008 in a production by Jonathan Altaras, directed by Pete Nettell who directed the Sydney production. It received overwhelmingly positive notices from such diverse publications as the gay press through to the right wing Spectator. The London Evening Standard
Evening Standard
The Evening Standard, now styled the London Evening Standard, is a free local daily newspaper, published Monday–Friday in tabloid format in London. It is the dominant regional evening paper for London and the surrounding area, with coverage of national and international news and City of London...
compared it to Henrik Ibsen
Henrik Ibsen
Henrik Ibsen was a major 19th-century Norwegian playwright, theatre director, and poet. He is often referred to as "the father of prose drama" and is one of the founders of Modernism in the theatre...
's A Doll's House
A Doll's House
A Doll's House is a three-act play in prose by the Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen. It premièred at the Royal Theatre in Copenhagen, Denmark, on 21 December 1879, having been published earlier that month....
, and The Stage
The Stage
The Stage is a weekly British newspaper founded in 1880, available nationally and published on Thursdays. Covering all areas of the entertainment industry but focused primarily on theatre, it contains news, reviews, opinion, features and other items of interest, mainly to those who work within the...
compared it to the work of Larry Kramer
Larry Kramer
Larry Kramer is an American playwright, author, public health advocate, and LGBT rights activist. He began his career rewriting scripts while working for Columbia Pictures, which led him to London where he worked with United Artists. There he wrote the screenplay for Women in Love in 1969, earning...
.
Currently in discussion for 2010 is an Australian and UK tour with a possible return to Sydney and London.
Plot
The play follows three gay men, two in a relationship and one whom the couple meet through the gay on-line dating site GaydarGaydar (website)
Gaydar is a worldwide, profile-based dating website for gay and bisexual men, women and couples over the age of 18. Although many of the individual profiles are publicly accessible on the Internet, to gain more functionality and interact with other users, a registration is required and a guest...
. Some issues the characters go through include commitment, immaturity, gay relationships and sexual identity.
The play is widely recognised as giving the illusion of being a light gay comedy in the first act before taking a darker, powerful turn in the second.
External links
- http://www.blowingwhistles.co.uk/theshow.html
- http://www.timeout.com/london/theatre/event/72343/Blowing-Whistles.html
- http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/theatre/review-23578268-details/Blowing+Whistles+is+a+scintillating+comedy+/review.do?reviewId=23578268
- http://www.samesame.com.au/reviews/1956/Theatre-Blowing-Whistles.htm
- http://www.www.gaydarnation.com/UserPortal/Article/Detail.aspx?ID=22823&sid=53
- Paris Hilton attends opening of Blowing Whistles, London http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/bizarre/article1851213.ece