Alexandra Taylor: Writer

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...

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 ...

A festive favourite with a contemporary kick and a large slug of rum.  In December 1853, Charles Dickens stood in Birmingham Town Hall and gave his first  dramatic reading of the story that has come to symbolise Christmas more than any other. Since that night, it has been retold in countless ways - for the stage, for radio, on television and in films - each version a different take on the classic tale of ghosts and greed, love and loss, regret and redemption. Just a stone’s throw from where Dickens gave his story its first performance, Birmingham Repertory Theatre are marking the festive season with a musical version of ‘A Christmas Carol’. If you’re fond of the familiar then you won’t be disappointed with this production. There’s ‘humbug’ aplenty, a feast of frock coats and bonnets, foggy London streets and an achingly adorable Tiny Tim. Much of the dialogue is taken from the original novella and the plot plays out as you would expect. But this production is cer...

If you thought Moseley in Bloom was just about filling hanging baskets with fuschias, then you couldn’t be more wrong. Keeping Moseley “cleaner and greener” is a year-round labour of love involving a huge range of events and activities and a small army of volunteers. I met up with Carol Miller, MiB’s ‘In Bloom Ambassador’, in Java Lounge for a well deserved hot chocolate. She’d just been trudging local streets to recruit participants for the hugely popular Open Gardens event in June. She’s been heavily involved in the charity for the last five years and is very passionate about the work that the team does to maintain Moseley’s flower power. “If the area is clean and colourful, it makes people feel better about themselves, and getting involved shows them they have the power to change things. It also brings the community together - we work closely with the council, street cleaners, schools, religious groups, local businesses and many other community organisations. All of us helping e...