Latest 7 magazine

Victoria Nangle chats to an icon of eighties TV, the unforgettable Val Lehman aka Bea Smith

Bea Smith ruled the roost in Australia’s Wentworth prison from 1979 until 1983, and for those 400 episodes of Prisoner Cell Block H Val Lehman ruled Bea Smith. Iconic at the press in the laundry and constantly wrestling to maintain her position as Top Dog, the support for the show and for Bea, in particular, has been phenomenal. Now, almost 30 years later, Prisoner Cell Block H is finally available on DVD.
So how do you account for the show’s success? “I think it’s because it was possible for the audience to identify with the women. They weren’t perfect, with perfect hairstyles, perfect gowns, perfect make-up and a perfect home with a husband and children and a perfect lover.” She chuckles. “They were real women”.
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Keeping clubbers happy night after night is not easy. But Queen Josephine, one of Brighton’s best-loved DJs, has cracked it. Last year QJ was voted Brighton’s favourite female DJ at the city’s LGBT Golden Handbag Awards.

She plays at some of the biggest scene nights, including Mardi Gras, Religion and Pussy Party at Charles Street, Wild Fruit at Tru, Sunday Sundae at Audio, the roving Rebel and Miss-Shapes at Ghetto. QJ and girlfriend Kate Wildblood, another favourite Brighton DJ, are looking for a venue to host a one-off night with them both playing. They are also going to release another Secret Disco compilation on the Crazy Diamond label and, in QJ’s words, are: “looking forward to getting people out and partying this winter and cheering everybody up.”

How did you feel about winning a Golden Handbag?
I was totally gobsmacked. Someone could have knocked me over with a feather. I play a lot and get positive feedback but there are a lot of very good female DJs in Brighton. My Mum was very pleased.

What did you make of Pride this year?
I love Brighton Pride. I have been living here for donkey’s years and I’ve been going to it since it was a dribble of people. It is absolutely enormous now. The fact that it is still free and you can go to so many good things is great. This year was the first I can remember, apart from one, that the weather hasn’t been wonderful. That meant everyone came in to shelter from the rain. It was my first time in the Wild Fruit tent and it was quite busy, which was nerve-wracking but fun.

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Magic property

Lesbians, practising witches and estate agents are not unusual in Brighton. But what happens when the three all come together? Author and playwright Sandra Freeman has written a novel about two women who set up an estate agency with a little magic in their lives. The Wow Factor follows the pair as they get further entailed in the worlds of real estate and witchcraft.

Freeman lives in France but spent 30 years living in Brighton where she taught French and Theatre Studies at the University of Sussex and wrote, acted in and directed 20 plays. She is the author of four novels and of Putting Your Daughters on the Stage: British Lesbian Theatre from the 1960s to the Present.

She visits Brighton regularly and was inspired to write The Wow Factor after reading a local news story last year about a couple of practising Wiccans ‘coming out’ with their beliefs. She dropped the idea for a novel she was already working on in favour of writing about witchcraft.

She said: “The idea of ‘coming out’ really appealed to me. I thought, that is so typical Brighton because there has always been this undercurrent of witchcraft going on in Brighton and around the Downs.” Arming herself with a copy of The Wicca Handbook bought from a local magic bookshop, Freeman set to work finding out about magic.

She sought advice on the real estate industry from her friend Jonathan MacFarlane. The result is a light-hearted and intriguing tale of mystique and spell-casting, with shades of Tales of the City.

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Wild Fruit are hosting a special charity fashion gala this Sunday 5 October at Club Tru.

The event is ‘The Birthday Celebration,’ where the hunt is on for Brighton’s next top model.

The over-the-top fashion fiesta wants all catwalk queens, supermodels, fashion victims and total show-offs. The night is a double celebration as it also marks the official launch party for Seamus Haji’s new album.

The night is hosted by Dolly Rocket and also features Seamus Haji, Neil Duffie, Kate Wildblood and Freddie Thomas. There will be a live PA of Haji’s new single ‘The Pressure’ featuring Brian Chambers and Mary Pearce.

On the fashion side of things, the catwalk hair is by Forde Hair, who are celebrating their first birthday. Fashions include Andrew Fionda, Jello, Jean-Yves Alban, Valkyrie corsets and Guilty kilts plus a host of surprise celebrity models.

Dress up in designer gear or your own fantasy fashion designs. This charity party is set to be a memorable night.

The Birthday Celebration at Tru, West Street, Brighton, Sunday 5 October, drink deals on the night include selected bottles at £1.50 & double spirit & mixer at £3.50. £6 NUS/ 7 members & with flyer before 11.30. £10 advance.