CLOSE-UP The Autobiography of John Fraser (Oberon) oooo
Chances are you won‘t have heard much of Scottish actor John Fraser, but this lovely autobiography should raise his profile. Born in Glasgow‘s East End in 1931, by the age of thirty he was acting alongside Sophia Loren in the movie epic El Cid. Blessed with incredible good looks, Fraser would go onto be nominated for a BAFTA for his portrayal of Bosie, the love interest of Peter Finch’s Oscar Wilde in the landmark 1961 gay movie The Trials Of Oscar Wilde. He acted opposite Catherine Deneuve, Alec Guiness and Vanessa Redgrave and he has plenty of inside information to dish. He was directed by Roman Polanski, and he
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had two top ten hits in the British music charts. He was signed to play the lead in the film of Look Back In Anger and was in the running to be Lawrence of Arabia. Oh, and he also had an affair with Rudolph Nureyev!
It’s a witty, perceptive account of a blessed life and Fraser effortlessly conjures up his many worlds — depression Glasgow in the forties. RAF life in the fifties, and especially the delights of the hidden gay world of sixties London.
Candid, theatrical and written with love rather than rancour, Fraser is the opposite of his closeted co-star Dirk Bogarde from British B-movie The Wind Cannot Read. Fraser helps us understand how difficult it was for two men to set up house together in the sixties. His partner was never allowed to be photographed with him, or accompany him to openings, but Fraser was never ashamed of his gay love. He had two long-term gay relationships and he throws valuable insight into how to sustain such relationships while dealing with monogamy.
Fraser did not go the Hollywood route. But there is no bitterness. His life was glorious, and the journey he took was full of the highs and lows of outrageous fortune. If it wasn’t for his Aunt Gatty he would never have been a scholarship boy, and he would never have developed a love for drama. There are so many chance occurrences in his life and he made the most of them. He wasn‘t a star, but he met plenty. His terrifying accounts of working with Hedy Lamarr in the fifties, then considered ‘The most beautiful woman in the world’ make us understand the term‘ Beautiful Monster.‘
It’s the small anecdotes that are lovely; describing his stage debut at the age of sixteen performing virtually nude as the Roman page in Wilde‘s Salome in Glasgow‘s private Park Theatre Club. All the older queer actors were keen to apply make—up to his body. Fraser‘s descriptions of his sometimes lover Rudolph Nureyev’s body are incredible, especially the dancer's sweatiness! A delight. (John Binnie)
Events are listed by date, then city. Submit listings at least ten days before publication to glasgow@list.co.uk. Listings are compiled by Gareth Davies.
Thursdays
Clubs
I Quiz Night 8. Killer Kitty Dchnnnicak ox \iiginia Street. 55: 451B. “I‘m. live. Regular \llll/ night. Ilt‘\\ \\ itli p.ii't_\ gaincx and bingo to kick t‘ll _\iiui‘ \wckcntl iii llll\ l‘ttl‘tllttl pix llltllll\l;l_\.
I Pink Devotion (‘liili Dcwiiuii. l.\ .l;iiii;iit".i Street. 84" (tall), llpin Run, L3 il'i‘cc [‘;l\\L‘\ ;i\.iil;il\lt‘ train the nt'.ii'h_\ |.(il§'l‘ t‘t‘iiti'ci. .\niithci' chance llll\ \\L'\'l\ to Clllt‘} the tlt‘hghtx til llll\ pa} night.
Clubs
I Fresh l‘llL‘ PUlU l.\‘llll:_'\‘. 34 \\ ll\t\lt Street. 553 IIZI. llpin Run. {5, Michelle tllltl .'\lltl_\ are in charge t‘l the
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Saturdays
Clubs
I LUSh lllt‘ l’illi' l ittlllgt'. .\Al \\ ll\\‘ll Sheet. 55‘ |_‘_‘l lll ilipni Run. £5. lt*.ituiin;_' \ntl} in the liniih} Ronni \\llll llll\ ll'ttlll tlit' (ilk to the Mix. \\llllt‘ l'iini pim ltl\'\ .in up llt‘lll tl.int't' \t'lt't'tiiiii in thc iii.iin imini .it my t it} \ pit‘ttit‘\t pa} t'luh.
Clubs
I Karaoke at Delmonica’s l)t'liiitiiiit'.i\. o.\ \ iiginia Slim-t. 553 .lXtil. “pm. I to: \\ itli _\tiui hmtx _lt‘llll .tlltl St'itll.
I Cabaret lht- lunncl. \-1 Mitchell Slit-cl. 3H4 littttl lll‘lll :Jlll. L71 itii, lhc luniit‘l\ \t‘t‘untl pa} gluh night. things are tlt‘linitt'l) l.il‘llli\tl\ .it lltl\ Suntla} lll:_'lll p.iit_\.
I Pink Devotion (‘liih bcwiiuii. l\ .l.iin.iit‘.i Sii't‘ci. N1“ ii\jii_ llpni 1.1”]. LC: il'i't‘t‘ l‘tt\\‘\ .i\.ii|.ihlc llt‘lll the llt'tlll‘} l_( EH l t‘t‘ntit' i. \t‘t‘ lhuixtla} \.
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Thursdays
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Fridays -
Clubs
I CC Blooms ( ‘(' liloniiix :4 :1 (llk'k'll\ltl\' l’ldt L'. BR“ " “ l l
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Saturdays
Music
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Clubs
I CC Blooms ( '(‘ liliuinix. I: ll (llt't'll\ltlk' l’ltlt't'. 55“ l) l l l.
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I Fever l',;_'ii. l-l l’it‘;iiil_\ l’l;it‘t'. 55‘ IVI. llpiii Run. L'lll 1‘;i tii'liixtt' nit'inht'ix l‘L‘ltllL' l l.15pni; h “H lllt'llll‘L'l\ ;illt'l'I. l'ht‘ liilk liit‘ 'l;i\tt' lgitint‘h ii nt‘\\ iniiiith|_\ \t‘ntuit'. taking; int'i Sal llllelh liii' lllll\L' \\ hii iciill} tlii lltl\\' tii \Klll'lx on Mon, \l;tlll\l;l_\ \ l'ixht‘i' tk Price and .\l;ii'tin Valentine iit't'iip} tht' inaiiilltitii'. \\ hilt‘ lht‘ \4l\lltll' tllltl Ktllll‘tl\\ Like an Kin-whiny you. attitude in the (‘iit‘lt‘aii lounge. l’i‘t' t'liih pail} iii l’lgiiit-i ()iii li'tini “pm.
I Luvely the liquid Ronni. ‘lt‘ \lt'ltll'ltl Street. 335 35(i-1.8;it l5, lll..;ll[‘lll Run. ‘5 it: lllL‘llll‘L'l\l lit'liii‘t- llpni; L8 i (5 iiit'iiihci'xi illlt‘l. .\ mitt} wut't'. print-it tmxiii'th .1 pa} ’llll\t'tl t'i‘imtl .llltl lt‘atui‘iiig ;i niuxit‘ pithy} iil lull on. tli‘ix in; lltlll\L' li'iini lt‘\ltlt'lll\ 'liinini} K. (il’. \t‘utiin tk Stone and .l;ii't'tl. l lll\ nionth'x tht‘int': l’iinkx .K l’ciwi'h. So |ll\l go ;t\ )nii ;iit'. .iiitl l.tl\t' .i lllt‘lltl.
I Joy lht' \t‘nut‘. l" 3| (Liliiin Road. 55" ill“ 1, Sat l5. llpni Run. to ht‘lni't' initlnight; «\ .iltt'i. \Viii'k _\Htll'\t‘ll into .i |.itht‘i‘ \\ itli tip-limit. ilii‘t} lltlll\k' grown li'iiin .\l;iii t\ .\l.i;_';_'it- lo} .llltl llit‘tt King: on the ni.iin lltuii. plux lit-nth “with and Sail} l'\ (ht-ck} llll\ ol wul. liiiik .intl t’ll.tl'l lll tht' tlimnxtaii‘x \uitc.
Clubs
I CC Blooms Karaoke ( '(' liltiiilllx 3; :4 (il’t‘t‘lhltlt‘ l’ldt‘t'. 55“ ‘l l 1 l.
(ipni .Kini. l'i't‘c. Sing. \lllf_'. \lllf_'. .t\ the “in; \xiiiiltl h.i\t' ll. until I lpni. 'l'ht'n giw _\t‘lll \iitul t'hiii‘tlx .i text and dance the night .i\\.i_\ til 3am.
I BootyLUSHous \lctliim. 45 J"
l itllllall Sii't'ct. 235031 i. lllpin 54in, £2 ht‘lnit' iiiitlnight; 3 .ilit-i'. More til .i Suntla} Sik'ldl than .i lull on glam tlllttll' with [H I).ilt' l.u\h. Siniiniint' lllut‘lx tllltl Ut't’.t\li‘ll.tlgllt'\l\llll\lll}1tll‘lfikllllll‘ hop. wul .intl lunk.
I Taste 'l'hc litiuitl Ronni. ‘lt' \ it'tui'ia Street. :35 35ml. llpiii .itiin. t5 hcloi‘c ll..:ll[‘lll; to ttllL‘l' i to int-nihci‘xi. 'l'hc
hipitalk llliallh'th \un night \inun smut; _\i‘t1lllli‘lllt‘Ri‘ll‘llt; \tcck in the hex! i‘t‘\\ll‘l\' :n.:nn.'i l ixhci .\ l‘iitc \ltl‘l‘l} .i pingicwnc in:\ wt tiniixc .llltl gangs ll‘. the in.::n zoom. \xiiil.‘ \l.nt::i \.ll’\'l‘l‘il‘t\' \timx the .itmtl \\ith l;iiik\ l \ linuw gcnh ihiutigh the txitk
Clutts‘
I Polysuper \lmut t mini. i nut-nutty l‘l.itc_ ‘V' ltill' llll‘lll Run 21-13» \ ptiltxtwual. \ll.ll_‘_'lll tiicntllx tiicntllx phil‘ \\llll .i tool. h.i\\lt' tit't- llll‘t‘tl \\ llll Ill l’t'tt‘ llllll\\\i‘llll. Ill \iint'\ .llltl Ill Huh
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Clubs I Blooms ( .(i llltltll||\. .‘K _‘1 (ilL‘t'll\lilt’ l’l.it t‘. hhlt ‘l i {l
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Just as Cardinal Winning's smile was finally fading from the face of moral consciousness, his successor Cardinal Keith O'Brien has again stirred up public and political feeling, referring to those of socalled sexual minorities as 'captives‘ to "sexual at‘ierration'. In his Time for Reflection address to the Scottish Parliament. Cardinal O'Brien drew comparisons between the gay community and the imprisonment Ol conwcted Criiriinals. prompting accusations that he is aiding the promotion of somal intolerance.
But surely such comments really only prove how out of touch some religious leaders are Wllh our increasuigly secular society. and how impotent they must feel that legal and sooal issues are nowadays largely out of the hands of the church. One can only feel that Green Party MSP Patrick Han/re may have hit a certain nail on the head. saying. ‘Cardinal Winning compared my community to the Na2is. so perhaps being compared to criminals is a step forward. (Gareth Dawes;