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home  The
Gates: West Side Story meets Cabaret meets
ChicagoBook & Lyrics: Rachel Jury Music: Andrew Cruickshank Post war Chelsea, London: bohemian, broad-minded and wild. A world of its own, the habitat of artists, musicians and theatricals: Quentin Crisp, Joyce Grenfell, and Joan Collins are regular visitors. Set in The Gateways, a small private members' club situated in a cellar of a shop on the Kings Rd, the first ever women's club in the world, The Gates is a star crossed lovers' story which unfolds against the backdrop of gangster warfare. How will the glamorous Butch and Femme patrons of The Gates react to the tragic death of a beloved friend? Is this the end of their sanctuary and community, or the beginning of a brave new world? Why: At the heart of The Gates are the universal, timeless themes of star crossed lovers, the individual vs society, and the need for community in the face of adversity. (i.e. it's an exceptionally good story, a great night's entertainment and a glorious celebration of music and difference.) History: The Gateways opened in 1945 in the basement of a shop on the Kings Road where it prospered until its closure in 1985. Whilst the setting and some of the characters in the musical did exist and live, for the purposes of this story all events, characterizations and representations are completely fictitious. Copyright: Rachel Jury and Andrew Cruickshank, all rights reserved. |
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