The documentary starts with one of the most famous nightclub in London named Heaven. The priest who tells his own story with the club also talks to other patrons who remind them all , how as marginalized community this club has always provided them with a safe haven. One of the women then picks Shibden Hall, Yorkshire, where she learns about the revealing diaries of owner Anne Lister. We hear stories of how this women, was a successful lesbian business owner in the 80s. The next celebrity delves into the drag scene at the Royal Vauxhall Tavern – something he has plenty of experience of as he frequently moonlights as a drag queen. The most touching is the next one where we see Old Bailey, which has hosted thousands of gay men hve stood trial, including Oscar Wilde. We visit the Theatre Royal Haymarket to discover how the British public showed their support for Sir John Gielgud after his arrest for cottaging and Lord Waheed Alli tells the story of the Houses of Parliament’s recent battle for gay rights with his pick of British Parliament building. Finally we visit the site of the codebreaking operation that fostered one of Britain’s greatest scientists, Alan Turing, who was persecuted for his sexuality – a story told in the Benedict Cumberbatch movie The Imitation Game.
With a title like the, I honestly had very little expectations form this program, but I have to say I was so very pleasantly surprised with this documentary. Everything was just about right. The right focus, the right amount of interview and story of each individual building, the narrators were charming (as expected, I mean, they are celebrities after all). With just about 50 minutes of runtime. the idea itself is fantastic and the way t his project was conceived and eventually delivered, it is a victory in my opinion. I was probably aware of just 2 of the 7 stories I heard, and the documentary never overloads you with information to make it boring. They keep it spicy, interesting yet very very meaningful for all members of our community. I think this is one of those documentaries that could be seen by most people, get some context on the British gay history specifically and not get overloaded or intimidated by information provided. With a title like this, one is sure to roll their eyes, wondering how can you even define a building as gay; but having seen this documentary now, it is more around the story behind the buildings, the individuals because of whom these buildings have left lasting impressions and most importantly the journey that these buildings have had in the LGBT history over many many years. (8/10)
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