Posts by Russell Brown
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Hard News: Understanding the Audiences, in reply to Stephen Knightly,
I appreciate NZOA are trying to figure out how to best allocate limited funds and support emerging trends, but I was disappointed they didn’t at least ask the question.
That’s fair enough. Meanwhile, Duncan Greive is, I think, understandably aggrieved about another seven million dollars going to Filthy Rich, given its performance:
And yet here we are, making yet more Filthy Rich, a show out of time but flush with even more cash, and one in which our commissioners retain a mystifying faith. It would be infuriating at any time, but I happen to be of the belief that we’re living through an era of extraordinary plenty as far as dramatic and comedic talent goes. There are a generation working in theatre, stand-up, reality and more bursting with talent and ideas.
But they are trapped by a system which still leaves the power to commission – and therefore direct public funding – in a tiny number of people’s hands. Unfortunately for you, me and the vast majority of 18-49 year olds, those people are Filthy Rich fans.
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Hard News: Friday Music: Down at the…, in reply to Mike O'Connell,
What a wonderful looking venue. I can half imagine the in-limbo-currently Odeon Theatre fulfilling a similar role one day in the Garden City.
It's not quite there yet. It's a cold, damp, musty room at this time of year and it doesn't so much have a bar as a tuck shop that serves drinks. There's no lighting truss and the PA has to go at floor rather than stage height. And yet ... it's great and special. The curtain adds such a lovely touch and it's good to see a band in a theatre. It needs refurbishment to achieve its potential as a venue, basically
But all credit to the young guys from Monster Valley, who are the reason it's open as a venue. I strongly hope they can keep doing it and get to the point where refurbishment is an option.
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The show began with the Black Quartet playing a couple of pieces – the second of which was a cool medley of David Bowie’s space-related songs. Then they launched into ‘God Defend New Zealand’, at which point the members of the band appeared and ran around the the theatre waving and wearing flags. It was an audacious display of nationalism.
And then we all sat down until we stood up and danced.
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Some pictures from Lawrence Arabia last night. The Crystal Palace is a damp, cold, musty old room at this time of year, but, especially once the crowd eagerly accepted an invitation to leave their seats and dance, it warmed up nicely. Pretty fab all round.
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Hard News: The Unitary Plan and grown-up…, in reply to BenWilson,
Also politics: NZ has been a democracy for over a hundred years, with leadership changing every 2-3 elections. Singapore has continually “elected” the People’s Action Party (PAP) since 1965.
And wards that have the temerity to vote the "wrong" way tend to find that maintenance goes undone and services degrade. People learn pretty quick.
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Hard News: The Unitary Plan and grown-up…, in reply to Sacha,
The main nimby lobbyists are pondering a legal challenge to the hearings panel’s work.
Which is great. They actually have to put on grown-up pants and go make a case to a court, instead of just broadcasting misinformation.
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Hard News: The Unitary Plan and grown-up…, in reply to Sacha,
And more non-grownup behaviour from some bigots.
They lost.
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Hard News: The Unitary Plan and grown-up…, in reply to Christopher Dempsey,
The rhetoric has changed; witness Granny’s headline this morning. Instead of the sky is falling and the world is heading to hell in a hand-basket headlines, they now say thousands of homeowners will reap billions in up-zoning. What a difference a USB stick makes.
The Herald's position has been pretty incoherent, largely as a result of one reporter writing crazy scare stories on behalf of alarmists. Meanwhile, the official editorial stance has been broadly supportive of the UP. It's a bit of a mess.
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Hard News: Friday Music: Back on the K, in reply to Mike O'Connell,
Does anyone recall who brought the VF out in ’84? It was about April/May.
It was Doug. I remember hanging out with them at the house in Summer Street.
When they returned in 1986 he even managed to get them into one-day cricket!
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