Marc and the Mambas, ‘If You Go Away.’

To mark LGBT History Month, 2013, Polari asked its contributors to recall a song that had an impact their own stories.

“I can remember staring in wonder at Val Denham’s androgynous painting of Marc on the cover (while my boyfriend stared in wonder at my pert teenage bubble butt)..”

London Road at the National.

Clayton Littlewood writes about his continuing education in the world of London theatre from the renowned critic Nicholas de Jongh..

“Nicholas de Jongh is pleased to invite Sir Clayton Littlewood to a playhouse performance of a serious dramatic piece in the city of London, the West End district. Dinner will be served at 10.15 at a nearby hostelry. Carriages at midnight.”

[rating=5]
60 min • Leicester Square Theatre • Jun 16, Jul 1, Jul 31, 2012

Clayton Littlewood is blown away by Dexter Clark’s Fabulous Head. The hecklers didn’t stand a chance.

“It was refreshing. Funny. With a minute amount of Mrs Merton, a sprinkling of Savage and a big bite of Bernhard.”

It’s there in that look of recognition.

Clayton Littlewood writes about the moment that his secret came out at school. To celebrate the International Day Against Homophobia/Biphobia and Transphobia Polari Magazine is publishing a series of stories from its writers about homophobic, transphobic and biphobic incidents.

“The genie was out the bottle and within minutes it was flying round the school. Literally. Everyone running in different directions, spreading the word. And by lunchtime the whole school knew. Dinner ladies too.”

Quentin Crisp

Clayton Littlewood selects Quentin Crisp for Polari Magazine’s list of LGBT Heroes. For UK LGBT History Month 2012.

In this ‘bear age’ of gay male culture that we now seem to be sheltering in, it’s the individuals that choose not to follow the herd, individuals that take a different path that I find the most interesting. And no one took a more different path than St Quentin.

Clayton Littlewood’s Soho Stories: David Shenton.

Clayton writes about an exhibition at the Drill Hall by the cartoonist, David Shenton.

I first saw Shenton’s cartoons in the weekly gay newspaper Capital Gay back in the early 80’s. They were funny, thought-provoking, depicting a world of check shirt and leather-clad clones.

Clayton Littlewood’s Soho Stories: Soft Cell and Lady Gaga

Clayton writes about the joys of Soft Cell and the inspiration of Lady Gaga.

He tells me where the early Soft Cell videos were filmed (around Walkers Court), about recording in Trident (which is just up the road on St Anne’s Court), a studio where Bowie and Bolan once recorded.

Clayton Littlewood’s Soho Stories: the film The Prophet

Clayton writes about the film The Prophet, and Sebastian Horsley.

But what was also nice were all the bum shots. There were bum shots in A Single Man but they were arty bum shots. Bums drifting in cloudy swimming pools. Bums lingering seductively in bedrooms. In A Prophet they were ‘dangerous’ bum shots.

Clayton Littlewood’s Soho Stories: on Tom Ford.

Clayton writes about Tom Ford, A Single Man, and Ford sidestepping the issue of homosexuality.

What has been disappointing is that this is now the third interview I’ve read where Ford has tried to distance himself from the film’s homosexuality ‘It’s not a gay movie. Absolutely not,’ he said in one interview.

Clayton Littlewood’s Soho Stories: on Katy Manning and Dr Who.

Clayton writes about meeting Katy Manning and the magic of Dr Who.

When I was growing up the Daleks were scary. I mean really scary. They were like the Terminators of their day.