Standing Room Only for Sunday 13 November 2022

12:16  Waharoa - how the Art of the Pacific has developed.

Māori and Pasifika contemporary artists, whose work has enriched Aotearoa and captured the world's attention over the last half a century, share their stories in a new TV series, Waharoa: Art of the Pacific.

Waharoa are gateways or portals.

Telling the story of how traditional Māori and Pacific artforms have been referenced, adapted and transformed over the decades, is a daunting brief.

Hosting the three-part series is art historian Emeritus Professor Ngahuia Te Awekōtuku.  She's travelled the motu talking to some 60 artists behind significant contemporary artworks to hear about their ideas, their practice and their hopes for the future.

Lynn Freeman talks with Ngahuia about that journey.

The series Waharoa: Art of the Pacific will premiere on Prime on 17 November. We can't recommend it highly enough!
 

12:30  Grayson Masefield talks accordions and a century of the Tango.

From the traditional through to the revolutionary "nuevo tango" style works of Argentinian composer Ástor Piazzolla - New Zealand group called Aotango is about to present A Century of Tango.

Born in Argentina, the Tango is one of many "dances of love" from Latin America, always with that distinctive syncopated rhythm.

Aotango features some highly respected musicians, including APO Concertmaster Andrew Beer on violin, pianist Somi Kim, double bassist Gordon Hill, jazz guitarist Sam Swindells and world champion accordion player Grayson Masefield.

Grayson talks with Lynn Freeman about A Century of Tango, a musical journey through the evolution of tango.

It starts on 21 November at the Warkworth Town Hall before heading to Takapuna, Howick and Hamilton.
 

 

12:45  Renée's new-found life of crime!

 

 

Renée's small fictional rural town of Porohiwi is once again the scene of a murder.   But why would anyone kill grumpy old mask collector Matthew Derrell in his home?

Blood Matters is award-winning playwright and novellist Renée's second crime novel.

In it, Puti has taken over both guardianship of her 10-year-old niece Bella Rose and ownership of the local bookshop, "Mainly Crime", after the death of her sister.   

Ōtaki-based Renée says she doesn't dwell on the forensics in her books.   She's far more interested in the impact of a murder on the small community she's created.

Lynn Freeman asks her what she enjoys about writing crime stories.

Blood Matters by Renée is published by The Cuba Press.

 

 

 

1:10 At The Movies

This week, Simon Morris looks at The Wonder, starring Florence Pugh, My Policeman, starring Harry Styles and German World War One epic All quiet on the Western Front.

 

1:31  Kevin Ireland looks back - for the third time 

Writer Kevin Ireland has already written two memoirs - Under the bridge and over the moon, followed by Backwards to forwards.

Now in his 90th year, Kevin tried an unpredictable experiment for his third memoir.   He rummaged through half-forgotten moments in his life each day for 30 days and wrote them down.

He found himself thinking about his first date - aged 8 - fishing in Southland, moments from his years living in London and the first time he saw a five pound note. 

He called it A month at the back of my brain, and Lynn Freeman was intrigued by the stories behind some of Kevin's poems.

A month at the back of my brain, Kevin Ireland's third memoir is a Quentin Wilson Publishing publication.

 

1:46  Carmel Van Der Hoeven has fond memories of old state houses

A nostalgic series of stylised paintings of state houses is about to go on show, the work of Pirongia-based artist Carmel Van Der Hoeven. 

Though, what with the thousands that have been sold off, knocked down and gentrified, those "little boxes" are getting harder to find!

The "State House Series" makes up part of Carmel's Mortal Dreams show, that will also include the large, brightly-coloured, floral paintings she's best known for. 

Carmel's painted 60 works so far in the "State House Series", and she still goes searching for more on her travels. 

Lynn Freeman asked what got her started down this track...

Carmel Van Der Hoeven's exhibition Mortal Dreams opens on Friday 18 Nov at Turua Popup Gallery on Khyber Pass Road in Tāmaki Makaurau.
 

2:06 The Laugh Track -  actor and writer Dan Musgrove

Dan Musgrove is one of our most successful TV writers, though he's equally successful as an actor.  He's been in everything, from My life is murder to Go girls, Underbelly...    and who can forget his brilliant performance as Red Dino Thunder Ranger in Power Rangers?

But as a writer he's attracting even more attention:   Westside - which he also starred in with his wife Antonia Prebble - Creamerie and the International Emmy award-winner Inside, produced by his new company Luminous Beast.

He's always insanely busy, so we're delighted Dan Musgrove found time to join us on the Laugh Track. 

Dan's picks include Bo Burnham,This is Spinal Tap, Veep and  Steve Martin.

 

2:26  Manawatu Sinfonia - one of our great community orchestras 

The Manawatu Sinfonia epitomises the value of a community orchestra - helping to launch professional music careers, promoting the work of local composers and of course, entertaining people living in Palmerston North and the wider region.

Its members are currently rehearsing for a concert featuring the work only of New Zealand composers - three of them from Palmerston North - and including two world premiere works.

Just this year the Sinfonia and associated Manawatu Youth Orchestra between them saw seven string players snapped up for the National Youth Orchestra.

Lynn Freeman talks with bassoonist Jeff McNeill on a break from the afternoon's rehearsals.

20 November is when the Manawatu Sinfonia will perform A Celebration of Local Composers  at Palmerston North Boys High.
 

2:37  Roger Hickin revives the reputation of "forgotten man" Roderick Finlayson

Writer Roderick Finlayson was right in the thick of it during a formative time in New Zealand's literary history.  He was a friend and contemporary of other significant writers, including James K Baxter, Frank Sargeson and D'Arcy Cresswell.

Roderick's not as well known now, despite being in some ways, ahead of his time.  He wrote about race relations and environmental issues in his essays, articles, stories and letters, as early as the late 1930s.  His first short story collection, Brown Man's Burden, was published in 1938.

In recent years, publisher and writer Roger Hickin has championed Roderick's work.   He first released a selection of his published and unpublished writing in 2020, and now a biography called Roderick Finlayson - A Man from Another World.   He talks with Lynn Freeman about Roderick's reputation in 2022.

Roderick Finlayson, A Man from Another World by Roger Hickin is published by Cold Hub Press. 

 

2:48  Painter Judy Millar - bringing it all back home

Art fairs have become a popular way to get artists' work in front of potential buyers who may not frequent dealer galleries.

After a disrupted couple of years, the country's biggest contemporary art event, the Aotearoa Art Fair in Tāmaki Makaurau is about to showcase the work of more than 180 artists.   

Some - like our next guest - have made a name for themselves internationally. 

Painter Judy Millar has twice represented New Zealand at the Venice Biennale.   She has many awards, fellowships and residencies to her name.

Judy has recently returned from the European arts hub of Berlin, and talks with Lynn Freeman about her feelings returning home.

The Aotearoa Art Fair starts on 16 November at The Cloud in Auckland.
 

3:06 Drama at 3 - Hat Trick: House Rules and The First Friday of Every Month

Our Drama Hour today is a double bill, beginning with the second part of Fiona Samuel's trilogy Hat Trick featuring the great Davina Whitehouse.

Davina Whitehouse was one of the generation that created professional theatre in New Zealand. She began her career in the UK in the late 1920's working with many of the luminaries of the day, including John Geilgud, Ivor Novello, Noel Coward, Laurence Olivier, John Mills, Gracie Fields, Googie Withers and Ida Lupino.

In the 1950's she emigrated to New Zealand where she soon found work in radio drama, then theatre and later film and television.  Today in House Rules, part two of Fiona Samuel's Hat Trick, Davina is the very proper Miss Judd.

Following that, a short play deals with the pitfalls of 'Theme Days' at your work place. It's called The First Friday of Every Month by David Collins.