PATRICK JONES recommends a vital anthology from Afghan and Iranian poets where the political and personal fuse into witness-bearing and manifesto-making
Taking pride in the gay presence
TOM KING recommends an excellent exhibition celebrating LGBT+ venues in London

Queer Spaces: London, 1980s — Today
Whitechapel Gallery, London
THE ROYAL Vauxhall Tavern — to its loyal patrons, simply the RVT — is an imposing Victorian pub in south London which made history in 2015 as the first building in Britain to be awarded grade-2 listed status for its significance to the LGBT+ community.
Surviving the Blitz, the bulldozers of “progress” and, so far, the developers’ beady eye, the tavern’s been home to exhilarating cabaret for decades and it’s nurtured the career of many drag queens — most notably, Lily Savage.
More from this author

As the Establishment stokes a culture war against gender recognition — not in favour of it — the left must unite in support of the trans community, says TOM KING

TOM KING marvels at the insights into the lived reality of the legionaries of the Roman empire revealed by 2,000-year-old artefacts

A play about choral singing, hedge funds and dementia proves to be an intricate exploration of family relationships and the redemptive power of music, says TOM KING

Playwright MARK RAVENHILL talks to Tom King about how the lockdown and its impact on care homes has been the catalyst for his new radio play