THE HULME TUNE

Why are we the last ones to know about events in Hulme? There seems to be a famine of publicity when organisers stage events in the area. Last year it was the same. What’s wrong with using community websites, A4 posters and other means to tell local residents of the activities that go on in Hulme Park?

For the few that did see it though, MAGGs, Xcalibre and Manchester City Council blew up a row of bouncy castles type inflatables, had a fair-ground ride, music and a few portaloos. It was the first of 3 Family Fun Days with:

• Food and refreshments (missing today)
• Sport Activities (missing today)
• Face Painting (missing today)
• Martial Arts Workshop (missing today)
• Inflatables
• Music
• Children’s DJ & entertainer (goes with the music, still it makes it look like there’s a lot)
• Assault Course (the above inflatables)
• Raffles & Prizes (didn’t notice it)

5 out of 9 ain’t bad. However, it did have a rodeo rotating bull, exactly like the one at Manchester Mela in Platt Fields this weekend, not advertised on the flyer that I got to see.

I talked to a few of the parents who did enjoy it. One mum thought it was great, but wondered why there was no publicity. Another wanted more stalls offering information.

A few minutes later there came a gang of around 7-8 youths riding bicycles, the PCSO’s soon got to intercept them as I was leaving the park. Even as a reporter sometimes it’s best to stay out of the way and let the police get on with their job.

Manchester City Council really do reach out to communities and offer help and by putting on events like these they can reach people more effectively. But, I can’t help thinking that estates like Aquarius will miss out if the word doesn’t get around.

 The other 2 ‘Family Fun Days’

Wednesday 6 August from 12pm-5pm

The Manchester Academy School

Moss Lane East

Moss Side

Wednesday 13 August from 12pm-5pm

Richmond Park School

Cochrane Avenue

Longsight

There you go, the secret’s out.. now others can go and enjoy this free offering of entertainment for the kids! And.. it’s FREE - except the ice-cream.

On The Hulme Tune, Thursday 26 June @ 10-11am on ALL FM 96.9:

We have an exclusive interview with Italian Film Director, Mimmo Calopresti, when he visited Manchester on 12th June.

LIVE guest will be Dave Morgan, who’s performing “Hovis In Wonderland” for Not Part Of Festival on Tuesday 8th July at Matt & Phreds Jazz Club in the Northern Quarter.

Chill Factore are hosting “An Evening of Selfridges Fashion, Music and Celebrity, on Snow!” this Tuesday 1st July. With special guest appearance of the British Alpine Ski Team & ski demonstration. There will be a fashion show and live music entertainment. Paul & Kaite will be there to interview the BAS Team and others. More details see Chill Factore and Manchester Confidential

News about Henry Winkler coming to Manchester. You know, the guy who played the Fonz in the 70’s US sitcom “Happy Days”.

The British Urban Collective is coming to Manchester and auditions are being held at the Zion Arts Centre.

MUSIC: Joe Loss & his Orchestra “In The Mood”, Alex Gaudino ft Shena “Watch Out”, Coldplay “Viva La Vida”..

FULL Italian Contemporary Cinema event interviews available from weekend on www.mymanchester.net and www.allfm.org as well the Podcast from the show.

Paul

‘Paulasville’ is not about a house on a hill, but a city gone down it. This is Zion Young Actors Company’s debut performance and I think they’re gonna grow us.

This atmospheric gritty production starts off well, with good audience interaction and the visual effects from 3 projectors and smoke machine all adding to the effect. There’s an excellent performance from the Sanitary Department of the company that runs the city. Which makes you think that these guys are putting heart and soul into their parts and having fun.

Then it seemed to lose its momentum, towards the end, that captured me from scene 1. It looked as though the beginning was well worked on, with the end looking rushed. Some of the actors were quieter and, with people eating crisps, made me wonder what was going on. I would have liked to have seen total blackout in 1 or 2 scene changes and a rat in the rubbish. If the stage would have been larger then some of the props could have been left on stage in the shadows, so the pace could have kept increasing without interruption. Which, I think, was the idea behind Act II.

They need to work with masks more effectively to bring them alive. For the body language and head movements were more reminiscent of crash-test dummies. Instead of looking like police, I thought they were bank robbers.

Still, it was enjoyable to watch and I didn’t look at my watch once. The fact that I don’t wear one, has nothing to do with it. I wasn’t even yawning or scratching, which showed, that for a couch potato like me, it must have caught my interest throughout.

‘Paulasville’ is running every night at the Zion Arts Centre, Stretford Rd, Hulme, until Saturday night.

A street in Manchester became the location for the new ITV 3-part drama series “Wired” today. Great Bridgewater Street, off Oxford St, was turned into Prince’s Street EC2, with a London bus and the bar “Temple” being a London Underground station. Some of the shots were filmed in London itself and today Manchester and then Liverpool next week.

WIRED stars Jodie Whittaker (Venus, St Trinians), Toby Stephens (Jane Eyre, Die Another Day), Charlie Brookes (Eastenders), Laurence Fox (Lewis) and Sacha Dhawan (Splintered, Bradford Riots) and is about a £250m Internet bank fraud. The gang use an innocent mum to steal money.

You can just make out Beetham Tower in the background.

The series will be shown on ITV in Autumn this year.

Now spot the mistake on the set?

The number at the bus stop is ‘2′ while the number on the bus is ‘96′.

A costly mistake, if it is a mistake that is, to come back to Manchester and shoot it again. Maybe, they just film the back of the bus? Perhaps, the bus was hijacked? Or, the bus got diverted? What if the mum is a bus driver and wanted to stop off at the bank?

Guess I’ll have to wait until the Autumn to find out.

Actually it’s the link below this item on MyManchester.net

or

The Hulme Tune PODCAST 24 April 2008 

This Saturday, 16th February, Disney officially celebrated the opening of their new store in Manchester. This was a move from its old location on St Anne’s Square to the new vibrant section of the Arndale Centre - joining the colourful array of retailers that took advantage of being strategically positioned close to Starbucks.