Ray Singh (he/him/his)
Ray is the Wellbeing Lead at RLH and MEH. Ray is also site lead for the LGBTQ+ network. Our network exists to support the LGBTQ+ community and its allies, to provide a space for social events and networking, and to support (and challenge, when needed!) Barts Trust in promoting genuine inclusion, diversity and equality throughout our workplace.
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Variously melancholy, lyrical, joyous and farcical, Twelfth Night has long been a popular comedy with Shakespearian audiences. The main plot revolves around mistaken identities and unrequited love. Both Olivia and Orsino are attracted to Viola, who is disguised as a young man; and Viola’s brother, Sebastian, finds that he is loved not only by Antonio but also by Olivia.
Ray says: "Magical how one can read this play with any subtext or setting. I remember in my 20s performing this play in the West End and the setting was a dark club in the depths of underground SoHo!"
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time - Simon Stephens
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time is a murder mystery novel like no other. The detective, and narrator, is Christopher Boone. Christopher is fifteen and has Asperger's Syndrome. He knows a very great deal about maths and very little about human beings. He loves lists, patterns and the truth. He hates the colours yellow and brown and being touched. He has never gone further than the end of the road on his own, but when he finds a neighbour's dog murdered he sets out on a terrifying journey which will turn his whole world upside down.
Ray says: "Books make me nervous, I don't even like reading. However, this book changed all of that. The use of pictures and slick wit outed me as a potential book worm in training!"
The Velvet Rage - Alan Downs
Drawing on contemporary research, psychologist Alan Downs's own struggle with shame and anger, and stories from his patients, The Velvet Rage passionately describes the stages of a gay man's journey out of shame and offers practical and inspired strategies to stop the cycle of avoidance and self-defeating behaviour. Updated to reflect the effects of the many recent social, cultural, and political changes, The Velvet Rage is an empowering book that has already changed the public discourse on gay culture and helped shape the identity of an entire generation of gay men.
Ray says: "A book which continues to change the public discourse on gay culture and has helped many gay men to shape their identity in what the author believed was a straight man's world".
Santaland Diareis - David Sedaris
Santaland Diaries is an essay by David Sedaris. It is a humorous account of Sedaris' stint working as a Christmas elf in "Santaland" at Macy's department store.
Ray says: "An essay in paperback of an author's experience as a seasoned Santa Claus in a department store in New York's busiest shopping store - Macy's. I was lucky to produce this show for the stage in Hollywood, California".
The Very Hungry Caterpillar - Eric Carle
Eric Carle's The Very Hungry Caterpillar is a perennial favourite with children and adults alike. Its imaginative illustration and clever cut-out detail charts the progress of a very hungry caterpillar as he eats his way through the week.
Ray says: "Thinking of this book is so much more than a collage of illustrations. It's like an invisible photo book of my memories."
Still to read...
Ray says: "Any 'Learn to Speak Spanish' books - My family are from the only English speaking country in South America, and when I am asked if I speak Spanish - I would love to answer in a very lengthy response (in Spanish) on the history of why Guyana is English speaking".
Record:
"Ministry of Sound - Annual 1996 by Pete Tong and Boy George".