Seen at...
Gateways Grind
- Director: Jacquie Lawrence
- Producer: Lu Corfield, Victoria Broom
CGiii Comment
Well...what a delight this turned out to be. Who would have thought that a documentary about a women-only, defunct bar could be this entertaining!?!
And, entertaining it is...due to Sandi Toksvig's jolly presentation and wry narration. The Gateways club may have been reduced into history...but, with a bevy of notable customers and immortalised by being featured in The Killing of Sister George...it's place in history is safe and secure.
So what went on Behind the Green Door...[yes, that's what the song is about, seemingly]...
Maggie Hambling, with her eternal fag, makes an appearance and is hysterical...
The right height...could get you an orgasm...so says, the LGBT poet laureate!
Lesbian bars and club come and go, short-lived and forgotten....anyone remember The Candy Bar??? The Gateways will always be remembered. For over 40 years it was a haven, a sanctuary...ran by a 'couple' of matriarchs who both had a wealth of 'experiences' worth telling.
If those walls could talk, this could be a whole series. Aaaw, sadly, they can't...but, this film will certainly whet every nostalgic appetite out there. Satisfaction guaranteed.
Trailer...
The(ir) Blurb...
What do you picture when you think of King’s Road? The swinging 60s? Vivienne Westwood pioneering punk fashion? One notable establishment in this enclave of history that’s often forgotten about is Gateways, London’s longest-surviving lesbian club. Alongside a host of its patrons over the years, Sandi Toksvig highlights the legacy of the club from its original owner, who won it in a poker game, to its blossoming into a hotspot and safe space for lesbian life. From its signature green door to the risqué dance move that gives this film its name, Gateways was a crucial part of London’s queer history. In this charming and informative film, it’s celebrated in all its glory.
Grace Barber-Plentie