Saturday Morning for Saturday 23 July 2022

8.10 Dr Ashley Bloomfield:  ‘you’ve got to be tenacious in public health’

After leading the country’s Covid response for the last two years, Dr Ashley Bloomfield is stepping down from the role of Director General of Health. The softly-spoken public servant became a household name early in the pandemic, his image gracing teeshirts, tote bags, mugs and even tattoos.

Having been appointed to the DG role in mid-2018, Bloomfield was officially set to finish his five-year tenure on 11 June 2023 - but decided to resign from the “complex and challenging” role early.

His last day on the job will be 29 July, at which time Dr Diana Sarfati will be acting Director General of Health until a permanent appointee takes up the position.

 

8.40 Erina Daniels: looking at the Great Depression through a Māori lens

First produced in 1984, Renée’s Wednesday to Come is considered a classic of New Zealand theatre. The play follows the women of an Ōtaki family during the Great Depression of the 1930s and, for director Erina Daniels (Ngāti  Wai), it's a story that has strong parallels with today.

Daniels has a rich history in the development of Māori theatre. Her production of Wednesday to Come is being led for the first time by Māori creatives, and with an important new twist: the story is told from the perspective of a mixed Māori Pākehā whānau. 

Wednesday to Come opens at Wellington’s Circa Theatre on 30 July.

 

9.05 Sandi Toksvig: ‘we have to decide to be positive’

Danish-British writer, comedian, broadcaster and activist Sandi Toksvig is touring our shores in early December with her brand-new show Next Slide Please. Described as “a breath of fresh air”, the show sees Toksvig explore reasons to be cheerful after long months of coronavirus-induced gloominess.

Toksvig can currently be seen on New Zealand television screens hosting The Great Big Tiny Design Challenge, where amateur crafters put their miniature-making skills to the test and compete to transform a derelict mini mansion. 

In addition to her comedy and television work, Toksvig also co-founded the Women's Equality Party, which she says was the single most successful political party in the UK’s last election even though they didn't win a single seat.

 

9.35 David Trubridge: taking ‘the other way’ to the world’s furthest reaches

From sleeping on a ledge high above the Grand Canyon to paddleboarding through the remote Åland Islands in the Baltic sea, artist and designer David Trubridge has relished journeying far and wide, camera in hand. 

In his latest book The Other Way readers travel with Trubridge as he reflects on our relationship to the planet’s diverse natural spaces in both image and text. Trubridge’s ‘other way’ involves turning his back on cities, instead looking to create a sense of reciprocity and belonging with this fragile earth. 

Trubridge is best known for his internationally acclaimed lighting and furniture design. His first book, So Far was published in 2015. 
 

 

10.05 Welby Ings: boxing film packs a deeply personal punch

 The debut feature by director Welby Ings examines the relationship between a teenage boxer and his alcoholic father, played by Oscar-nominee Tim Roth (Rob Roy, Pulp Fiction). Set in small town New Zealand, Punch follows Jim as he prepares for his first professional fight. However, the 17-year-old begins to rethink his trajectory after tangling with the razor-tongued Whetu, who spends his days in an old shack down by the beach.

For Ings, a professor of design at AUT,  the film has a deeply personal connection, fulfilling a commitment made to his dying partner more than 20 years ago.

Punch is screening as part of the New Zealand International Film Festival. Head over here for more information.

 

10.35 Risa Mickenberg: secret society of 'hermettes’ celebrate aloneness

Despite living in the bustling metropolis of New York, Risa Mickenberg largely shuns social connections and relationships. Instead she enjoys time alone in her apartment, or adventuring the outside world solo.

Mickenberg was a creative director at a major advertising agency for more than 20 years, but grew tired of the intense hours and the corporate environment, so she adopted the life of a “hermette” — a female hermit.

A few years ago she founded a secret society of like-minded women who enjoy aloneness, and now it has dozens of members around the globe.

 

11.05 Dr Norman Swan: practical advice on how to stay younger longer 

Dubbed the most trusted medical professional in Australia, Dr Norman Swan is no stranger to handing out medical advice. His new book So You Want To Live Younger Longer? is filled with practical information on how to stay at your peak no matter what your age, while debunking money and time-wasting myths.

This new guide follows on from Dr Swan’s debut, So You Think You Know What’s Good For You?, released last year.

Dr Swan has been a broadcaster with the ABC for almost 40 years. He is the co-host of Health Report and Coronacast. 

Send your questions for Dr Swan to saturday@rnz.co.nz or text 2021 (texts cost 20c).

 

Books mentioned in this show:

The Other Way
By David Trubridge
Published by David Trubridge Press
ISBN: 9780473612368

So You Want To Live Younger Longer?
By Dr Norman Swan
Published by Hachette
ISBN: 9780733648342

So You Think You Know What’s Good For You?
By Dr Norman Swan
Published by Hachette
ISBN: 9780733646775

Songs featured in this show:

Friday I'm in Love
The Cure
Played at 8.35am

Slow Burn
Mel Parsons
Played at 9.35am

Pathetic
Jesus H Christ and the Four Hornsmen of the Apocalypse
Played at 10.42am