Alexandra Taylor: Writer

If you prefer your Halloween more atmospheric than alarming, then head down to Sarehole Mill on 30th or 31st October for an evening with a difference.  The idea is simple. Families bring along a pumpkin, carve it and put in a candle. Once lit, the lanterns are put on floats and sent bobbing off across the millpond, candlelight reflecting on the water in the gathering dusk beside the picturesque 18th century watermill. Add a carving competition, a storyteller and some toasted marshmallows and you’ve got the perfect recipe for a family evening out. “There’s limited space, so people will have to register,” says organiser Irene, “but we’re hoping it’ll be a simple, low key but magical evening. All the floats are made by our volunteers from recycled materials and the flotilla provides a very satisfying finale for the pumpkin carving.” For more information visit the Sarehole Mill website . Published in  My Moseley and Kings Heath  magazine, October 2014

Once upon a time, a teenage boy ran away to join the circus. It sounds like the start of a fairy story, but that’s pretty much what happened to Joe Fearn. He landed a summer job in a circus aged eighteen and discovered a magical place where unique people come from all over the world to share their skills and become part of a strange and eclectic family. He lived the circus lifestyle for the next eleven years, attending circus school, travelling the globe and honing his skills.  However, Joe never lost touch with his Birmingham roots and three years ago decided to return and put his talent to good use by establishing a circus community in his home city. From a few informal classes, CircusMASH quickly grew and expanded. Now run by him and his partner, it has brought circus skills to over eight thousand people, and is now involved in a huge range of activities, such as youth programmes, workshops, classes and school visits. They are also working with Solihull College to develop uni...

Ava's Wedding is a brand new original English opera. The libretto was written by me and the music was written by Michael Wolters from the  illustrious  Birmingham Conservatoire. It was performed at the Crescent Theatre in Birmingham (UK) from Thursday 26th to Saturday 28th February 2015. One performance was filmed and will shortly be available online. For news and updates, 'like' the  Facebook page or follow  @AvasWedding on Twitter.

Business and the arts are not obvious bed fellows, yet when two organisations in the Jewellery Quarter were thrown together six years ago, they developed an unlikely partnership which has blossomed into a successful relationship. Performance company Stan’s Cafe has been creating innovative artistic projects in Birmingham since 1991. In 2008 they secured Arts Council funding for acclaimed work ‘Of All The People In All The World’ and the hunt was on for a suitable presentation space. Meanwhile metal pressing firm AE Harris, based in the Jewellery Quarter for over 130 years, decided to reorganise their business operations, leaving the site at 110 Northwood Road empty. They were asked if they’d consider leasing the space to Stan’s Cafe. “I figured half a loaf is better than no loaf at all,” says Managing Director, John Sloyan.  What began as a ten week arrangement back in 2008 proved so successful that it turned into a two year commitment on a rolling contract. Both parti...

I’ve been an ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) tutor in Birmingham for ten years, teaching English to adults in further education colleges. It’s a world governed by rigid systems, tough targets and formal exams. A year ago I’d had enough, and quit my job to become a writer. I was however keen to keep my teaching muscles flexed. I knew, through my friend Susannah, that the Big Issue ran ESOL classes, so I let her know I’d be happy to help out if they ever needed an extra pair of hands. Shortly after, one of their volunteer teachers left and I found myself having to make good on my promise. The Big Issue in Birmingham set up their ESOL classes because vendors were arriving in the office with a very low level of English, which was having a negative impact on their sales. Being able to ask for directions, give their name and address, and describe any problems on their pitch is also important for vendors’ safety. The classes are part of the Big Issue’s commitment to helping ...

Do you recognise Andy? Until recently he was a familiar face around Moseley, but not a particularly welcome one. Perhaps you hurried past him with a frown, or handed over your change with a look of pity, because for nine months Andy was a rough sleeper in the area, begging for money which he used to buy alcohol. But now, thanks to support from housing and care organisation Midland Heart, he’s off the streets and turning his life around. Like many rough sleepers, Andy had a rocky start in life. A family break down meant he ended up in care. This disrupted childhood, followed by a long term drink problem, left Andy with no support network. After stints in various hostels, Andy began sleeping rough in 2012 when he was evicted for not paying the rent - he’d spent all his money on alcohol. It was winter and he had nowhere to go. Armed with just a sleeping bag and a blanket, Andy spent nine months living on the streets around Moseley and Kings Heath. He spent some nights in the dis...

Brothers Remi and David Faveau have put Moseley firmly on the culinary map with their top three finish on the ITV series ‘Britain’s Best Bakery’, which aired across the country throughout January and February.  Despite being pipped to the title by The Cake Shop Bakery from Woodbridge in Suffolk, the Michelin trained chefs have no regrets about taking part. “We’re always getting approached by television cookery shows,” explains Remi, “and we always say no. I am very far from wanting to be a TV personality. But David thought this one would be perfect publicity, because it’s not a reality show, it’s all about the baking. I’m glad we said yes, because we would definitely have missed out on an enjoyable experience if we hadn’t.” Although praised throughout the series for their technical expertise and creative flair, it wasn’t an easy ride to the final. The brothers soon discovered that cooking for the cameras is very different to cooking for their customers. “It was ve...

Dark themes are sensitively handled in this powerful and thought provoking piece of theatre. Nancy (Hazel Maycock, Jean St Clair) is the wife and mother whose daughter disappears on the way to granny’s house. Unwilling to believe her daughter is dead, Nancy establishes an action group that works to unite parents with their missing children. However, her real journey begins when the police find her daughter’s body and reveal the truth about how she died. Ralph (Neil Fox-Roberts, Mike Hugo) is the swearing, tattooed delivery driver who refuses any job which takes him more than eighty miles from the valuable stash of child pornography he keeps in his shed. He talks casually, even proudly, about how he entices young girls into his van. It is only after his arrest and conviction for a number of murders that he is forced to confront the reality of what he’s done. Agnetha (Deepa Shastri, Sophie Stone) is the American psychiatrist whose research brings her to the UK to interview ...

‘Her’ tells the story of a lonely writer, post painful divorce, who finds a way to love again. But no Spike Jonze film is ever that straightforward. The twist in this tale is that the ‘Her’ of the title, and the object of our protagonist’s love, is not a woman but a computer operating system.  Setting the story in futuristic LA, Jonze uses his characters and their relationships to explore issues of isolation and intimacy, challenge our notions of love and examine what human interaction means in a world dominated by electronic communication.  As with Jonze’s previous films ('Being John Malkovich', 'Adaptation', 'Where the Wild Things Are'), expect more questions to be raised than answered. Does the electronic intermediary act as a barrier or enabler? Is an online persona more or less authentic than a person’s physical presence? How and why do we connect to those around us? With a strong cast, and a Best Film nomination at the New York Film Festival, you m...

Endorsed by the Mandela family, including the great man himself, this is as close to an official biopic of Nelson Mandela’s extraordinary life as there is ever likely to be. It is epic in its scope, covering the full span of his long and controversial journey from rural childhood, through political activism and imprisonment, to his historic inauguration as President.  In preparation for this daunting project, Director Justin Chadwick spent a year in South Africa, exploring the country and its people. As with 'The First Grader', set and shot in Kenya, expect an evocative, visually stunning and immersive African experience.  Squeezing a lifetime of drama into two and a half hours is a challenging task, and not all biopics manage to do it successfully. Chadwick’s approach is to focus on Mandela the human being, a flawed man whose dedication to the cause wreaked havoc with his personal life. With career defining performances from Naomie Harris as the indomitable Winnie a...