Standing Room Only for Sunday 2 August 2020

 

12:36  Daniel Roher and Once were brothers - the story of The Band

 

One of the givens of the annual New Zealand International Film Festival is a strong music section.  And this year is no different. 

One highlight is a documentary about Seventies legends The Band called Once were brothers:  Robbie Robertson and the Band. 

The effect of The Band's first two albums on the Woodstock generation was momentous.

At a time when everyone was turning up the volume, and heading into the psychedelic future, these four Canadians and an Arkansas drummer did the opposite.

They turned right down and looked back into America's musical past.  At times they seemed more at home in the 1870s than the 1970s.   

Simon Morris talks with the director of Once were brothers, Daniel Roher.

 

 

12:45 Tongan web series looks at the world of prize fighting 

A new bilingual Tongan drama called Mo'ui Faingata'a (Brutal Lives) about a former prize fighter is about to be unveiled, after getting New Zealand On Air funding from the organisation's Pasifika and Asian Storytellers initiative.

The series follows former prize-fighter, Soane 'The Shark' Valu who had the world at his feet until he lost it all.  After Soane's father dies, he reluctantly returns to South Auckland from America to face his estranged sister, the three kids he left behind and break the curse of his ancestor's shame.

Lynn speaks to the writers of the bilingual series Vela Manusaute and Sandra Kailahi. 

Brutal lives launches on The Coconet on Wednesday.

 

1:10 At The Movies

Simon Morris looks at two women-led films at the cinemas, and talks to the director of a fascinating Film Festival documentary on a movie legend. 

 

1:33 Capes and confidence: House of Cardin 

For decades he refused to allow documentary makers or biographers to tell his story, but Fashion legend Pierre Cardin has finally entrusted his personal and professional story to an American couple of devoted fans.

Directors and partners P. David Ebersole and Todd Hughes enlisted a translator and managed to get behind the curtain to tell the story of an extraordinary fashion pioneer. They tell Lynn how exciting it was to be able to tell the tale. 

 

1:50 Colin Mcoll brings Ibsen to stage and screen

Theatres are learning to adapt to a world where rehearsals and productions cannot be carried out the way they once were. 

The Auckland Theatre Company have adapted by staging productions to stream online. After a sensational online season of Chekhov's The Seagull they are turning their eye to Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen's The Master Builder. 

The production will premiere on Saturday the 8th of August and will be available for streaming from then until the 30th of August. 

Colin McColl is the director of the production and he joins Lynn to discuss staging and dramaturgy in the age of lockdown. 

 

2:06 The Laugh Track - Pax Assadi and Justine Smith

There's no need to remind you that we're living through "interesting times".  Covid, Black Lives Matter, Me Too issues - not to mention elections and dirty politics.  If ever there was a time we needed comedy it'd be now.   Which is why it was doubly unfair when the annual Comedy Festival was closed during lockdown.  

But fear not.  There's a Comedy Gala in preparation for the end of the year, and today's Laugh Track features two of the stars.  Is this the best of times or the worst of times for comedy?   We ask Comedy Gala host Pax Assadi, and multi-award winner Justine Smith.  

Their picks include Dave Chappelle, Eddie Izzard, Patrice O'Neal and Wanda Sykes.

 

2:25 Choreographer Eddie Elliot on dancing through a pandemic 

If it weren't for the Covid-19 pandemic, Māori  dancer and choreographer Eddie Elliot would be about to leave for Canada where he regularly performs with an indigenous dance company. But he has no time to waste on regrets at the moment, with the premiere of his first full length commissioned work for the New Zealand Dance company about to premiere.

Uku - Behind the Canvas sees the dancers cover themselves in, and make small objects out of clay on stage. The work also incorporates New Zealand Sign Language and references the distorted paintings of Swiss artist Andy Denzler. It's part of the New Zealand Dance Company's new show, Night Light.

 

2:40 Diane Brown: Every now and then I have another child 

After a short break under lockdown, local publishing is forging ahead. Dunedin poet, novelist and writing teacher Diane Brown has fused prose and verse to tell a new story in free narrative verse. The collection of poetry is titled Every now and then I have another child.

In it she imagines a newborn baby who might or might not be hers but she takes responsibility for the little girl. Sometimes the baby speaks directly to us in an unnervingly knowing way.  Amidst the other characters in this world is a doppelganger.

Every now and then I have another child is published by Otago University Press. 

 

2:49 Sculptor Candice Lin looks at the history of plague 

A catapult that fires projectiles made out of oil, lard, wax and a pigment made from burnt bones is part of an exhibition by Los Angeles based artist Candice Lin, that's about to open in New Plymouth.

Pigs and Poison is a collection of work that looks at plagues and viruses, and how countries over centuries have both been blamed for them or spread them.It sounds eerily prescient, since Candice, who's Chinese American, made them before Covid-19. 

Pigs and Poison opens at the Govett-Brewster without her planned visit because of the pandemic. In fact she had to rely on gallery staff to install the show.

 

3:06 Drama at 3 - Madness you can trust

Time for today's Classic Drama.  Madness you can trust by actor/playwright Brian Sergeant is based on his own experience of time spent in the psychiatric ward of a New Zealand public hospital, and features Peter Hambleton as Gideon.

 

Music played in this show

Artist: The Band
Song: The weight
Composer: Robertson
Album: Music from the Big Pink
Label: Capitol
Played at: 12.35

Artist: The Band
Song: Rocking chair
Composer:  Robertson
Album: The Band
Label: Capitol
Played at: 12.58

Artist: The Band
Song: Chest Fever
Composer: Robertson
Album: Music from the Big Pink
Label: Capitol
Played at: 1.07

Artist: The Band
Song: Rag Mama Rag
Composer: Robertson
Album: The Band
Label: Capitol
Played at: 1.44

Artist: The Band
Song: This wheel's on fire
Composer: Danko-Dylan
Album: Music from the Big Pink
Label: Capitol
Played at: 1.58

Artist: The Band
Song: To kingdom come
Composer:  Robertson
Album: Music from the Big Pink
Label:  Capitol
Played at: 2.04

Artist: The Band
Song: Life is a carnival
Composer: Danko-Helm-Robertson
Album: The Best of
Label: Capitol
Played at: 2.58

Artist: The Band
Song: The unfaithful servant
Composer:  Robertson
Album: The Best of
Label: Capitol
Played at: 2.04

Artist: The Band
Song: Saved
Composer: Leiber-Stoller
Album: Moondog Matinee
Label: Capitol
Played at: 2.58