This Year's Thing, The Pleasance Cabaret Bar

JUDY'S BAR, a fictitious Edinburgh gay pub, is the setting for the latest drama from Edinburgh amateurs, The Luvvies.

This Year's Thing is described as a tongue-in-cheek comedy drama set in the Capital during 1969 and 2009.

Judy's Bar is owned by 60-year-old Anthony Childs, played by Roger Burroughes, a man openly gay long before it was fashionable, or even legal.

The manager of his business is Sophie, played by Charlotte Chadwick, a very well organised, 20-something bisexual.

As the play opens, Sophie is busy trying to organise an event at the bar to mark the 40th anniversary of the death of Judy Garland, the original gay icon, and of the Stonewall Riots, which began when a police raid on The Stonewall Inn, a bar frequented by gay people in New York.

Due to attend the gathering at Judy's Bar are Jem (Julie Edwards) and Josie (Kat Folan), two young, totally un-PC lesbians known as the JJ Girls, wide-eyed Kevin (Gary Reid) who might be gay but doesn't care about Judy Garland and has never heard of Stonewall. His interest lies in Childs . . . what better catch than a club owner.

Then there's Laura (Nicole Dolder), a transsexual woman with attitude and a very big mouth. Back in 1969, whilethe Stonewall Riots were raging, Young Laura (Ajay Lu) was beaten up at an illegal gay bar in Edinburgh by two policemen (Michael Mills and David Dalzell), witnessed by her friends Susan (Katy Dimmock) and Philip (Francis Aiken). That attack will have consequences 40 years later. Tonight – at Judy's Bar.

Director Martin Walker, who co-wrote the piece with Nicole Dolder and Andrea McKenzie, says, "This Year's Thing is a tongue-in-cheek comedy drama that holds a mirror up to the LGBT community and asks, 'How far have we come?'.

"In the play we have some fun with the prejudices that exist within our own community, as well as celebrating the progress LGBT people have made since the Stonewall Riots 40 years ago.

"With the threatened rise of the BNP and the far right, the play is also a warning that things could go wrong very quickly if we don't remain vigilant."

The Luvvies is Scotland's only Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender theatre company. Previous productions include A Taste of Heaven and Hell in 2006, Torch Song Trilogy in 2007 and last year's Painted Eggs and William Shakespeare's Squeaking Cleopatras, of which they will present a gala performance on this year's Fringe.

This Year's Thing, The Pleasance Cabaret Bar, Pleasance, tonight-Sunday, 7.30pm, 9, www.tyttheplay.com