Gay London Life | Jan '25 Edition - Magazine - Page 6
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Those who think the last big night out of the year is New Year’s
Eve are gravely mistaken. Fetish network Recon always puts on
a huge party during the final days of December that’s unmissable
for anybody with a kinky bone in their body. This time around,
it’s happening at legendary superclub Fabric, which will be
transformed into a horndog’s lair for one night only — yes, that
includes a play area, not to mention a second-hand gear shop and
dance floors treated to the knob-twiddling of DJs such as Tafkanik,
Wayne G and Jeffrey Hinton.
Saturday 28th December, 10pm-4am, Fabric,
Charterhouse Street, EC1M 6HJ. Nearest Station: Farringdon
Athena
Just because it’s the first Saturday of January, it doesn’t mean you
Jack and the
Beanstalk —
can have a night on the sofa in front of the telly. That’s it, throw on
What a Whopper!
something arse-hugging and get yourself back to Eagle London
What with all the present-shopping and arguing
for the first Athena of the year. This is the club night that celebrates
with your other half over who tangled up the lights
the eighties in all its glory. The timeless hits, the pioneering tunes,
for the tree, you were a little too busy to catch a
the little-known oddities — resident DJs Paul Joseph and Gareth
panto during the run-up to Christmas, but do not
Hackney (plus the occasional special guest) have the magic touch
despair — many of them usually continue a little
when it comes to filling up a dance floor.
longer into January. This adult-rated take on the
First Saturday of the month (4th January), 9pm-4am,
classic Beanstalk tale is one of them and promises
Eagle London, 349 Kennington Lane, SE11 5QY
smutty jokes, catchy songs and an outrageous
Nearest Station: Vauxhall
dame (played, as ever, by Matthew Baldwin). That
should liven up a drab January evening.
Firebird
Until Saturday 11th January, Charing Cross
You may have seen the film of the same name, which
Nearest Station: Embankment
Theatre, Villiers Street, WC2N 6NL
premiered at the BFI Flare Film Festival back in 2021,
but this queer Cold War romance is heading to the
stage in early 2025. Firebird follows the clandestine
affair between a private and a fighter pilot on an air
base in Soviet-occupied Estonia during an era in
which homosexuality was subject to state punishment.
Rather remarkably, it’s a true story, with the script
based on the memoir of Sergey Fetisov. We guarantee
you’ll be in bits by the end.
Various dates between Thursday 9th January and
Sunday 9th February, King’s Head Theatre,
116 Upper Street, N1 1QN. Nearest Station: Angel
Peter Pan
Freedom Bar
This is TuckShop’s fourth West-End pantomime
After the doors were shut for a couple of months,
tale of Peter Pan (and making it crude, rude and
Freedom Bar is back after a little bit of cosmetic
downright rotten). Drag Race UK winner Ginger
jiggery-pokery and she looks good! There are plenty
Johnson will be channelling her villainous side as
of opportunities to check the new look this month if you
Hook, while fellow contestants Kitty Scott-Claus,
haven’t already done so, perhaps at the weekend when
Cheryl Hole and Kate Butch are moonlighting
the basement dance floor is filled with Soho’s movers
as the Darling Children. Add to that, the script
and shakers. Better yet, book a ticket for the NYE party,
has been written by Gareth Joyner, the quick wit
which has a Sparkle and Shine theme this year — who
behind Myra Dubois, so expect topical gags and
wouldn’t want to see in 2025 with cocktails, dancing and
more than a few guilty chuckles.
sequins as far as the eye can see?
Until Monday 6th January, Phoenix Theatre,
60-66 Wardour Street, W1F 0TA
Charing Cross Road, WC2H 0JP
Nearest Station: Piccadilly Circus
Nearest Station: Tottenham Court Road
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and this year, they’re taking on the charming