Makeover for refuge recreation space
When Gabrielle Bundy-Cooke asked what Rotary could do to help Palmerston North Women’s Refuge, she was immediately taken to the back of its Main St East offices.
The outside area was grey and rundown and there was nothing that would make you want to spend time there, Bundy-Cooke says.
As president of the Rotary Club of Milson, she decided to champion the project to fellow Rotarians, especially as it is 100 years since New Zealand’s first Rotary club was formed.
Refuge manager Zubeda Shariff told Bundy-Cooke she would love the large outdoor play/ social area to be made attractive and inviting to families when they seek support.
The 52-member club swung in behind the project. The site was cleared, the walls painted, and swings, safety matting, shade sail, barbecue, picnic tables, planter boxes and basketball hoop installed.
The Rotaract Club of Massey University helped with the working bee and a lot of materials and tradespeople’s time were donated.
Bundy-Cooke says it is an ongoing project as maintenance of the “happy space” will be required. She says Rotary is about service before self and she enjoys Rotary as it is about making other people feel good.
“I want to be part of a community group that looks after people less fortunate.”
I want to be part of a community group that looks after people less fortunate Gabrielle Bundy-Cooke
With so much imported and touring product in Centrepoint's schedule this year, it is a treat to settle into a locally produced show from Centrepoint Junior — the Basement Company.
Having produced radio plays plentifully I know they must be a slick vehicle indeed. There can, at times, be hundreds of moving pieces with vocals, sound effects, live props, and music queues.
Tonight, we walked into a room filled with all these aspects and many more. Three static microphones up front, with a table burdened with props to stage right, even a door being opened and closed, and slammed where appropriate. Stage left had the appearance of a lounge bar with comfortable seating and live music when live music was required.
Three plays had been chosen, and extensively condensed. Making
something smaller in this way runs the risk of removing the parts that made it great. Here it was like removing Hitchcock himself. You could say we were left with general business — such as paying accounts; deciding which lettuce variety to purchase; and refunding tickets.
With the help of a perky narrator the mundane became action, and we allowed ourselves to be carried along by the whirring activity of the props
table. At times I struggled to follow the goings on, even in The 39 Steps, the most famous of the selection.
Some cleverness occurred in the two breaks between the titles where were treated to live radio advertising complete with jingles and terrific harmonies. Of particular mention was the advert for Bates Motel, including reference to wall linings, parking out front and, of course, Norman's mother.
The overall tone of the evening was that of humour, and traditionally a radio play should sit in the genre of comedy. Does Alfred Hitchcock do comedy? He certainly laces his work with dark humour, but it is never thematic. While looking great on paper, and containing some compelling material, is the work of Hitchcock actually suitable for radio serialisation? It is lovely to walk out of a theatre with such questions to discuss on the car journey home.
The Basement Company certainly has the necessary aspects of good stage craft — they all had chemistry in spades, and know how to make something entertaining, even in places when it wasn't. I would love to single individuals out for a mention, but in an extraordinary own goal Centrepoint did not produce a programme for this attraction. So, I'll say well done to all involved.
The Manawatu¯ Youth Orchestra reaches the grand age of 60 this year. To celebrate, it invites the public to its concert this Saturday afternoon with guest soloists from the New Zealand School of Music.
Some of the music is enthusiastic, loud and exciting as befits a youth orchestra celebration.
“Everyone will recognise Borodin’s Polovtsian Dances,” orchestra conductor Isaac Henderson says.
But the highlight of the afternoon will be the arias and duet sung by up-and-coming singers, soprano Shaunagh Chambers and baritone Tomairangi Henare from Victoria University of Wellington.
They may be youthful but they already have a wealth of experience under their belts. Chambers, an honours-year student, has already sung solos with the Hamilton Civic Choir while still at school and will feature with the Wellington Bach Choir next month.
Henare, a third-year student, regularly performs as
part of the vocal quartet Tokowhaa.
“I just love to perform,” he says. “I was always an extremely loud kid, so I would always participate in church choirs and kapahaka as a way to expel the energy I had. My wha¯nau in Nuhaka were always encouraging to me.
“When I’m singing on stage I feel like I can be whatever I want to be while still maintaining that sense of honesty.”
Together they sing Come Paride vezzoso from Donizetti’s The Elixir of Love. Henare loves this piece of musical comedy.
“I’m after the soprano, giving her flowers and generally bragging about how awesome I am at life.
“It’s a song that is just fun; fun for me, the audience, and the orchestra. There’s just so much hearty energy that can be put into it,” he says.
Henderson says a youth orchestra provides a great experience for young people to play great music together. “We wanted to share the orchestral experience with young soloists.”
The youth orchestra exists for young people to have fun making music together.
But the orchestra has also been the launchpad for more than a few musical careers, with more than a few singers in the ranks.
Renowned soprano Anna Lees was for a time at the back of the second violins.
Some have gone on to careers with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, while others have found positions with American, British and European orchestras.
The orchestra can also claim the late timpanist and renowned conductor Gary Brain as a founding member.
“Let’s see what the next 60 years bring,” Henderson says.