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October 06
Edition

Pages in PDF

Regular
Features

› The Fat Lady
  Sings
  with JoAnn Pacholli

› In Tents Thawt
  with Mick Pacholli

› Sid's Comments
  with Sidney
  Somerville-Smith

› The Lie Detector
  with Mitchell
   Faircloth

› Fab's Ravings

› Technology
  with Chris Jacobs

› Your Views

› The Artful Stock Picker
  with
  Peter Hegarty

› Marketing Advice
  with Andrew Hickinbotham

› Family Issues
  with
  Marilyn Brideson

› The Culture of Appearance
  with
  Suzanne Walker

› Gallery Gazing

› Planet Clare

› Lovatts
  Crossword

› Social Scene
  with Ken James

› Live Theatre
  with Blair Edgar

› Movie Scene
  with
  Marcus Sinclair

› Entertainment
  with Gary Turner

› Grazing in the
  Suburbs
  with Mick Pacholli

› Fab's Travel

› Talking Manure
  with Mick Pacholli

› Furry Friends
  with
  Dr Graeme Smith

› Racing
  with Ted Ryan

› Rant & Rave
  with
  Paddles Hackett

› Bowls
  with Mick Pacholli

› Motoring
  with Garry Fabian

› Short Cuts
  Writers
  Competition

› Competitions

Live Theatre

[by Blair Edgar]

Royal New Zealand Ballet Tour

We must not forget this company is now 53 years old, and has amassed an exceptional body of work as well as an international reputation.

I fear some of the Melbourne audience were patronising, though. There were those who came to indulge their condescending attitude towards this company, yet in the end they were captivated.

The RNZB presented a triple bill of works that was created especially for them. In all honesty, they could well have left the first work, Esquisses, at home. It needs redressing, severe editing, tightening, removing the blackouts and more attack in the execution of the work if it is to survive. Otherwise relegate it.

However, Equisses did provide a vehicle for Craig Lord to illustrate what an eloquent and elegant, lyrical interpretative artist he has become. Always a focused, sound technician, he has developed into an artist who is able to surmount technique and to reach his audience.

After the interval, Banderillero set the theatre up in no uncertain way. Slick, sleek, stylish, smoothly modern with action, interaction and innuendo- it was all superbly controlled by the dancers. They took charge and reaped the rewards. The response from the house had its effect on the stage, and the company relaxed into that two way interaction that makes theatre so compelling.

Buoyed up and firing, the company launched into Les Noces, Michael Parmenter’s version of the Bronislava Nijinska work. The dancers grabbed the moment, and exuded confidence and energy. They lifted the evening and turned it into a special event, showing the company off in no uncertain terms.

This company of 32 dancers has travelled the world winning plaudits. They travel light, they work hard, and they hit their straps once they get an audience response.
The Australian Ballet is to be thanked for entrepreneuring our New Zealand cousins into the Arts Centre. I sincerely hope they can tour again and not be too long about it.

The evening was ruined for me by the crass horrors of the Arts Centre. You cannot relax in there any more. Flashing lights, disembodied voices telling me to buy, buy, buy...

The vulgarity of Kath and Kim’s Fountain Gate has arrived in St Kilda Road, and it’s not good. Why should I have to fight through these commercial barriers to get into or out of a theatre, a place in which I want to exercise my mind?

Where will the Graduates go?

One lot of Arts graduates are about to emerge from their courses, “qualified” to seek work in the industry. Where? It’s a good question. Those who are already “established” are struggling to earn a living.

This newspaper, in all its metamorphoses, has always argued for youth and the development of ideas, and told the truth. The truth is that education is a numbers game, and there are willing numbers queueing up to audition for the new year.

If grandma said you were wonderful in the school musical and should “go on the stage”, stop right where you are. Take an honest look at where there is work or where there is not, and also at the future projections.

Find out what you have to do to survive. Then if you’ve got any sense, try something else.

Lord Mayor So, your City needs a Venue

This city badly, in fact desperately, needs a venue where new ideas and experimental and small highly focused works can be performed at no hire cost.

Venue hire and pre-production costs are crippling because of all that “user pays” and “fee for service” stuff that Margaret Thatcher invented.

The best contribution that we can make to the development of our young graduates is to open a Council-funded venue that would provide them with the space and regular technical support that they need to make the transition from their studies to earning a living.

The kids can continue driving taxis to earn the money to put into their productions, but it’s the free venue and technical support that they need.

If the MCC would fund the Black Box or their own Lower Town Hall or Horte Hall for this purpose we might start to get somewhere.

Full Tilt is Excellent

After castigating the Arts Centre for its commercial vulgarity, there is one thing that it is getting right.

The Full Tilt program, which stages newly developed works is excellent and it needs to run all year rather than encapsulated seasons. These productions also need to travel. Young performers don’t grow unless they have to adapt and travel their work.

Victorian and interstate travelling productions would test and strengthen this growth. But first we have to get a commitment from the bureaucrats to focus on developing and growing the arts rather than on watching their backsides.

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