John Roman Baker
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British / French born poet, playwright, activist and journalist associated mainly with the work of Aids Positive Underground Theatre (Aputheatre). Winner of the Brighton Festival award for Best Theatre in 1990 for his play 'The Ice Pick'
His first play 'Limitations' launched the first season of the Gay Sweatshop Theatre company. in 1985 he was co-founder of the Sussex AIDS Helpline (aka Sussex AIDS Centre) one of the UK's first voluntary orgainsations established to campaign for an assist those affected by HIV and AIDS.
Performed plays include:
COCK!; The Club Beautiful; Crying Celibate Tears; East Side Skin; Easy; Freedom to Party; Heroes; The Ice Pick; In One Take; The Last Century of Desire; Limitations; Queerbashed; The Pornographic Wall; Prisoners of Sex; Romophobia; Russian Roulette; Sexually Speaking 1+1; Things Happen; The War Fuck;
Early notoriety was achieved when in 1974 he appeared with his then boyfriend Tony Whitehead in a Southern Television documentary about Gay Rights. They were pictured kissing as one of them met the other of a train at Brighton Station. As a result of this Tony Whitehead was immediately sacked by his employer British Home Stores. A national outcry ensued which galvanised the Gay Rights movement led by CHE the Campaign for Homosexual Equality and GLF the Gay Liberation Front.
