It’s screening until Monday 24 October
BY ELEANOR NOYCE, IMAGE BY CHEERIO
Written by Maureen Duffy, directed by Joe Ingham and featuring Glenda Jackson, The Microcosm is screening at Queer Britain until Monday 24 October. Get excited!
The film adaptation is centred around The Gateways, an iconic club that established itself as the first hangout for queer women in London. Nestled in a subterranean corner of Chelsea, it offered a safe space for women across London until it closed its doors in 1985. It was longest-surviving club of its kind in the world, opening in 1931 and legally becoming a member’s club in 1936.
Originally penned by Maureen Duffy in 1966, The Microcosm is set at a time when homosexuality between men was still criminalised. Though sex between women was never officially on the statute books, queer women too faced societal ostracization. If exposed as a lesbian, women could expect to lose their jobs, their lodgings and their family. It was tough.
Based on Maureen Duffy’s novel, it explores her own experiences, examining if The Gateways truly offers the freedom its patrons crave. Originally published in 1966, Maureen’s words have been brought to life by two-time Oscar winner Glenda Jackson, who, alongside director Joe Ingham, draw parallels between the past and the present.
Interested? The Microcosm is screening at Queer Britain until Monday 24 October. It features an original score by Helen Noir and animation by Rebecca L. Weil, and is a Cheerio Production. Read more information on access to Queer Britain via their website at queerbritain.org.uk.
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