http://www.birminghampost.net/authors/ Authors en-gb Birmingham Post no Authors Authors http://www.birminghampost.net/life-leisure-birmingham-guide/birmingham-culture/theatre-in-birmingham/2008/11/12/hardly-a-tv-schedule-exists-these-days-that-doesn-t-feature-some-kind-of-programme-about-ordinary-people-thrust-into-extraordinary-situations-and-either-thriving-or-failing-spectacularly-65233-22233518/ Wed, 12 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.birminghampost.net/life-leisure-birmingham-guide/birmingham-culture/theatre-in-birmingham/2008/11/12/hardly-a-tv-schedule-exists-these-days-that-doesn-t-feature-some-kind-of-programme-about-ordinary-people-thrust-into-extraordinary-situations-and-either-thriving-or-failing-spectacularly-65233-22233518/ But back in 1980 the concept of “reality television” was still a twinkle in the eye of television producers, even though prototypes existed in fly-on-the-wall documentaries like The Family (1974). http://www.birminghampost.net/life-leisure-birmingham-guide/birmingham-culture/film-news/2008/11/07/josh-brolin-on-playing-george-w-bush-in-the-film-w-65233-22201707/ Fri, 07 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.birminghampost.net/life-leisure-birmingham-guide/birmingham-culture/film-news/2008/11/07/josh-brolin-on-playing-george-w-bush-in-the-film-w-65233-22201707/ Hero or villain, clever or clueless, war champion or criminal, it’s hard not to have an opinion on President George W Bush. http://www.birminghampost.net/life-leisure-birmingham-guide/birmingham-culture/film-news/2008/11/05/cecelia-ahern-better-than-jane-austen-65233-22184599/ Wed, 05 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.birminghampost.net/life-leisure-birmingham-guide/birmingham-culture/film-news/2008/11/05/cecelia-ahern-better-than-jane-austen-65233-22184599/ If Cecelia Ahern’s career had gone according to her initial tentative plans, she would “probably be making tea or coffee for a director somewhere” about now. http://www.birminghampost.net/life-leisure-birmingham-guide/postfeatures/2008/10/21/my-three-heart-attacks-in-one-week-65233-22082030/ Tue, 21 Oct 2008 11:57:00 GMT http://www.birminghampost.net/life-leisure-birmingham-guide/postfeatures/2008/10/21/my-three-heart-attacks-in-one-week-65233-22082030/ Sally Bee is lucky to be alive. Suffering three seriouse heart attacks in a week, she had to reassess everything she holds dear. Alison Jones reports. http://www.birminghampost.net/life-leisure-birmingham-guide/birmingham-culture/film-news/2008/10/10/kiefer-sutherland-reflections-of-a-movie-star-65233-22008620/ Fri, 10 Oct 2008 11:57:00 GMT http://www.birminghampost.net/life-leisure-birmingham-guide/birmingham-culture/film-news/2008/10/10/kiefer-sutherland-reflections-of-a-movie-star-65233-22008620/ Kiefer Sutherland takes a day off from saving the world to star in a new film. Alison Jones hears why he might be too scared to watch it though http://www.birminghampost.net/life-leisure-birmingham-guide/birmingham-culture/film-news/2008/10/03/julie-walters-in-a-class-of-her-own-65233-21959417/ Fri, 03 Oct 2008 11:39:00 GMT http://www.birminghampost.net/life-leisure-birmingham-guide/birmingham-culture/film-news/2008/10/03/julie-walters-in-a-class-of-her-own-65233-21959417/ From Smethwick schoolgirl to national treasure, Julie Walters recounts some of the highlights of her new autobiography to Alison Jones http://www.birminghampost.net/life-leisure-birmingham-guide/birmingham-culture/theatre-in-birmingham/2008/10/01/york-aims-for-lofty-heights-65233-21940094/ Wed, 01 Oct 2008 11:33:00 GMT http://www.birminghampost.net/life-leisure-birmingham-guide/birmingham-culture/theatre-in-birmingham/2008/10/01/york-aims-for-lofty-heights-65233-21940094/ Susannah York tells Alison Jones why she’s always had a soft spot for the Brontes http://www.birminghampost.net/life-leisure-birmingham-guide/birmingham-culture/theatre-in-birmingham/2008/09/24/michael-praed-comes-before-a-fall-from-grace-65233-21891598/ Wed, 24 Sep 2008 11:53:00 GMT http://www.birminghampost.net/life-leisure-birmingham-guide/birmingham-culture/theatre-in-birmingham/2008/09/24/michael-praed-comes-before-a-fall-from-grace-65233-21891598/ Michael Praed tells Alison Jones why we have a different appetite for scandal in these days of Jade Goody and Jeffrey Archer http://www.birminghampost.net/life-leisure-birmingham-guide/birmingham-culture/birmingham-art/2008/09/23/capturing-human-essence-in-a-portrait-65233-21882248/ Tue, 23 Sep 2008 11:40:00 GMT http://www.birminghampost.net/life-leisure-birmingham-guide/birmingham-culture/birmingham-art/2008/09/23/capturing-human-essence-in-a-portrait-65233-21882248/ The prestigious BP Portrait Award is on exhibition at Wolverhampton. Judge Corinne Miller tells Alison Jones why the genre is booming. http://www.birminghampost.net/life-leisure-birmingham-guide/birmingham-culture/theatre-in-birmingham/2008/09/18/a-grimm-tale-of-two-personalities-65233-21848120/ Thu, 18 Sep 2008 12:20:00 GMT http://www.birminghampost.net/life-leisure-birmingham-guide/birmingham-culture/theatre-in-birmingham/2008/09/18/a-grimm-tale-of-two-personalities-65233-21848120/ Janice Connolly’s latest project is a cautionary story for over protective grandparents, or is it? http://www.birminghampost.net/life-leisure-birmingham-guide/birmingham-culture/birmingham-art/2008/09/16/all-aboard-for-herefordshire-s-annual-art-trail-65233-21828388/ Tue, 16 Sep 2008 11:34:00 GMT http://www.birminghampost.net/life-leisure-birmingham-guide/birmingham-culture/birmingham-art/2008/09/16/all-aboard-for-herefordshire-s-annual-art-trail-65233-21828388/ If you’d gone down to the woods in Herfordshire last weekend, you would have been sure of a big surprise. http://www.birminghampost.net/life-leisure-birmingham-guide/birmingham-culture/theatre-in-birmingham/2008/09/12/secret-life-of-prunella-scales-65233-21806100/ Fri, 12 Sep 2008 12:20:00 GMT http://www.birminghampost.net/life-leisure-birmingham-guide/birmingham-culture/theatre-in-birmingham/2008/09/12/secret-life-of-prunella-scales-65233-21806100/ One is not the loneliest number for Prunella Scales as she stars in Gertrude’s Secret at the Alexandra Theatre this weekend. http://www.birminghampost.net/life-leisure-birmingham-guide/birmingham-culture/film-news/2008/09/12/how-pyjamas-director-earned-his-stripes-65233-21806098/ Fri, 12 Sep 2008 12:17:00 GMT http://www.birminghampost.net/life-leisure-birmingham-guide/birmingham-culture/film-news/2008/09/12/how-pyjamas-director-earned-his-stripes-65233-21806098/ Director Mark Herman’s latest movie is based on a book that gives a child’s view of the Final Solution. He and the book’s author John Boyne tell Alison Jones how hard it was to bring such a story to the screen http://www.birminghampost.net/life-leisure-birmingham-guide/postfeatures/2008/09/12/emmy-s-writing-uncovers-a-treasure-chest-of-talent-65233-21805329/ Fri, 12 Sep 2008 07:56:00 GMT http://www.birminghampost.net/life-leisure-birmingham-guide/postfeatures/2008/09/12/emmy-s-writing-uncovers-a-treasure-chest-of-talent-65233-21805329/ When Emmy Culley was faced with homelessness and a marriage break-up she turned to writing. She has just published her first book. http://www.birminghampost.net/birmingham-business/birmingham-business-news/business-entrepreneurship/2008/09/12/louis-has-got-the-chocolate-business-licked-65233-21806052/ Thu, 11 Sep 2008 23:43:00 GMT http://www.birminghampost.net/birmingham-business/birmingham-business-news/business-entrepreneurship/2008/09/12/louis-has-got-the-chocolate-business-licked-65233-21806052/ After being bullied at school, life is now sweet for teenage entrepreneur Louis Barnett. Alison Jones hears why http://www.birminghampost.net/life-leisure-birmingham-guide/postfeatures/2008/09/05/ten-days-of-festival-funnies-lined-up-for-birmingham-65233-21683570/ Fri, 05 Sep 2008 14:01:00 GMT http://www.birminghampost.net/life-leisure-birmingham-guide/postfeatures/2008/09/05/ten-days-of-festival-funnies-lined-up-for-birmingham-65233-21683570/ The seventh Birmingham Comedy Festival has attracted it’s usual chucklesome blend of tip comedy stars and local heroes of stand up, writes Alison Jones. http://www.birminghampost.net/life-leisure-birmingham-guide/birmingham-culture/film-news/2008/09/04/more-sex-thugs-and-rocknrolla-for-guy-ritchie-65233-21675244/ Thu, 04 Sep 2008 11:56:00 GMT http://www.birminghampost.net/life-leisure-birmingham-guide/birmingham-culture/film-news/2008/09/04/more-sex-thugs-and-rocknrolla-for-guy-ritchie-65233-21675244/ Guy Ritchie is hoping to turn the tide of opinion with his new Brit crime flick and prove there is more to him than being Mr Madonna. http://www.birminghampost.net/life-leisure-birmingham-guide/birmingham-culture/theatre-in-birmingham/2008/09/04/cabaret-at-birmingham-repertory-theatre-65233-21675235/ Thu, 04 Sep 2008 11:51:00 GMT http://www.birminghampost.net/life-leisure-birmingham-guide/birmingham-culture/theatre-in-birmingham/2008/09/04/cabaret-at-birmingham-repertory-theatre-65233-21675235/ Oliver’s loss is Cabaret’s gain because Samantha Barks seizes the part of Sally Bowles and emerges triumphant. http://www.birminghampost.net/life-leisure-birmingham-guide/birmingham-culture/theatre-in-birmingham/2008/08/27/the-great-american-trailer-park-musical-at-the-alexandra-theatre-birmingham-65233-21618950/ Wed, 27 Aug 2008 13:52:00 GMT http://www.birminghampost.net/life-leisure-birmingham-guide/birmingham-culture/theatre-in-birmingham/2008/08/27/the-great-american-trailer-park-musical-at-the-alexandra-theatre-birmingham-65233-21618950/ Question: Can a musical about static trailers travel? Answer: Yes and no. http://www.birminghampost.net/life-leisure-birmingham-guide/postfeatures/2008/08/22/the-real-life-of-a-bodyguard-to-the-stars-65233-21587105/ Fri, 22 Aug 2008 12:08:00 GMT http://www.birminghampost.net/life-leisure-birmingham-guide/postfeatures/2008/08/22/the-real-life-of-a-bodyguard-to-the-stars-65233-21587105/ When it comes to being a bodyguard, brains are more important then brawn, security expert Kevin Horak tells Alison Jones