A play about the infamous muscle squeezer Akinwale Arobieke,aka Purple Aki, is coming to Salford next month.
Notorious across the North West for his bizarre requests, the story of Purple Aki is something of an urban legend.
For North West teens growing up in the 80s and 90s, stories of a man asking to feel their muscles were common and Aki wasn’t considered much more than the butt of a joke – but over the years things took a darker turn.
Often seen carrying his signature plastic bag in hand, in 2006 he was officially banned from asking strangers to perform squats for him or from touching, feeling, and measuring muscles after harassing a number of young people.
Facebook groups were even set up in Manchester dedicated to him, with one called Purple Aki Watch 0161 promising to ‘keep Manchester squat free’, and in 2016 the BBC even made a documentary about him entitled The Man Who Squeezes Muscles – Searching For Purple Aki.
ADVERTISEMENT
Although Purple Aki was never convicted of a sex offence, he was banned from loitering near schools, gyms, or sports clubs and from entering the towns of St Helens, Warrington, or Widnes without police permission.
In the years that followed, Purple Aki would unsuccessfully attempt to overturn his muscle-squeezing ban, apologise in court to victims for forcing them to perform ‘inverted piggybacks’, and refer to himself as “infamous, notorious, everything from a bogeyman to whatever.”
ADVERTISEMENT
Now, his story will be brought to life with a show taking place at The White Hotel in Salford this September.
A description for the play reads: “She’s got the time, the curiosity, the resources—and a thirst for true crime. Meet Aki Browne—online sleuth like no other…
“A one-act play, featuring the hunt for a real-life bogeyman / racist caricature, this is an absurd journey into the obsessive world of a digital detective.”
The Treatment author Michael Nash has called the play a “supercharged drama of love, pursuit and that idea which our culture has done its best to empty of meaning, namely, ‘identity’”, adding: “Collings restores meaning, fiercely, wisely, and above all, with heart.”
Comparing the work to an “ultra-concentrated Moby Dick”, he continues: “The rendering of voices is magnificent and right: this is how the real world sounds! Unlike most writers in this land, Austin Collings is not in breach of the Weeds Act (1959).”
Due to take place on Thursday 21 September at The White Hotel in Salford, tickets are priced from just £10.
Featured image – BBC
Boroughs
There’s a FREE Children in Need event coming to MediaCityUK
Thomas Melia
An all-new and completely free to enjoy Children in Need event is making its way to MediaCityUK later this November, and it’s bringing along some iconic brands.
Everyone’s favourite yellow bear is returning to Manchester to take over MediaCityUK and rename it Pudsey’s Piazza for one night only.
Pudsey Bear is heading down to MediaCityUK and he’s bringing all the best activities, games, famous food, live music and more for four hours of FREE family-oriented fun.
You can expect to see Pudsey and the team alongside a whole host of celebrities, brand partners and lots of friends when Children in Need hosts its celebration later this November.
Some of the brands which have been announced include staple high street bakery Greggs, a collaboration between McDonald’s and its sports counterpart, Fun Football UK.
DJ AG is just one of the special guests preparing to take over MediaCityUK this November for Children in Need (Credit: Supplied)
Also joining the bill is viral TikTok potato-loving duo Spud Bros, who will be serving up their famed jacket potatoes with an array of fillings to choose from inside their recognisable big red van.
Greggs will be bringing a huge double-decker bus to Pudsey’s Piazza at MediaCityUK with treats on hand throughout this evening celebration, as well as interactive games for you to play.
You’ll also be able to catch a glimpse of a replica Red Arrows jet, which will be situated on the piazza all night long courtesy of aerial experts Royal Air Force.
If that wasn’t enough for you, your night will be soundtracked by the one and only viral nomad music maker DJ AG, who’ll be playing out tunes as part of a charity livestream at the bandstand.
MediaCityUK is the home of BBC Children in Need, so it’s only fitting that Pudsey would throw one of his biggest parties yet right here in Greater Manchester.
Pudsey and his friends are transforming MediaCityUK into Pudsey’s Piazza on Friday, 14 November from 4pm to 8pm, and they’re encouraging anyone to come along, especially since it’s FREE.
Featured Images — David Dixon (via Geograph)/Supplied
Boroughs
‘Christmas chaos’ on the cards as Manchester tram drivers vote on staging strike action next month
Emily Sergeant
There could be major disruption to festive travel in Greater Manchester next month, as hundreds of tram drivers are currently voting on whether to strike.
Almost 320 tram drivers are being balloted over working conditions and fears around fatigue.
The drivers – who are members of the union, Unite – all work for KeolisAmey Metrolink Limited at the Warwick Road South and Queens Road depots in Manchester – and they operate trams on all routes in Greater Manchester.
As it stands, the drivers’ shift patterns currently mean they have to work 450 hours over a 12-week period, which results in some having to work 50 hours on, followed by just two days off, then back into another 50-hour work pattern.
Drivers also have fewer rest days compared to all other operational departments, and this is said to be causing safety concerns around fatigue.
‘Christmas chaos’ is on the cards as Manchester tram drivers are currently voting on staging strike action next month / Credit: TfGM
Drivers say they concerned about operating heavy vehicles while exhausted and unable to have proper breaks, but after raising the issue with management, Unite has been told there is ‘no funding available’ to support any ‘meaningful’ improvements to working patterns.
Instead, management has asked drivers to start work earlier – which Unite says is only ‘adding insult to injury’.
The ballot is set to close on 11 November, and if drivers vote in favour of industrial action, strikes could then begin in late November, causing widespread cancellations and delays throughout the region during the busy festive shopping period – particularly coinciding with Manchester’s world-famous Christmas Markets, known for attracting millions of visitors to the city each year.
“Any strike action will cause a great deal of disruption but it is entirely the fault of Metrolink, which is not taking the issue of driver fatigue seriously,” commented Unite Regional Officer, Colin Hayden.
Georgina Pellant -
11th August 2023 
