Standing Room Only for 04/09/2017

Standing Room Only is literally radio with pictures... and arts, theatre, film, comedy, books, dance, entertainment and music – all the things, in other words, that make life worth living. Full programme details are available on the Standing Room Only webpage On the Way To The Opera with the Drug Lord and Mr X. - An Exhibition by Simon Kerr Artist Simon Kerr has just launched his sixth exhibition at Wellington's Pilocki Patterson Gallery, supported by Art Access. The works are striking - handwriting and colourful scrawls, like the love-child of Banksy and Colin McCahon. The title's strong too - On the Way To The Opera with the Drug Lord and Mr X. But that's not the most interesting thing about him. Simon talks about his own life of crime and his art with Simon Morris. Apr 09, 2017 02:49 pm A New Collection of Poems from Marilyn Duckworth Marilyn Duckworth's just published her first poetry collection since 1975. Mind you she's written many a novel, short story and even a memoir during that time. And just last year she was received the Prime Minister's Award for Literary Achievement for Fiction - the most recent of many awards she's won throughout her long literary career. Her last poetry collection Other Lovers' Children was published in 1975 - this new one is called The Chiming Blue. Lynn Freeman asks her about her poetry, and how it fits in with her fiction and non fiction writing. Apr 09, 2017 02:42 pm Leap of Faith, Jenny Pattrick's latest historical novel. Historical novelist Jenny Pattrick is fascinated by the workers - often men - who built New Zealand. Her earlier novels described the lives of the Denniston Miners. Her latest book Leap of Faith explores what it took to build the massive viaducts on the Main Trunk Line - in particular the viaduct in Makatote, an area she knows well. Jenny talks to Lynn Freeman about the engineering and physical feats, the leadership, ingenuity and the sheer determination it took to build the viaduct. Apr 09, 2017 02:26 pm Pop artist Wayne Youle Amberley-based artist Wayne Youle is in the studio to tell Lynn Freeman about his two big shows this month. There's a retrospective exhibition at Christchurch Art Gallery with the intriguing title Look mum no hands. And there's Strangely Familiar - pop-art inspired portraits of 34 artists including Colin McCahon and Rita Angus, and writers like Hone Tuwhare and Margaret Mahy. They will go out on tour after their time at the New Zealand Portrait Gallery in Wellington. As Lynn Freeman discovers,the paintings were often based around well known photographs of the artists by the likes of Ans Westra and the late Marti Freidlander. Apr 09, 2017 01:45 pm Taking New Zealand's stories to the Bologna Children's Book Fair The 2017 Bologna Children's Book Fair in Italy is one of the biggest events of its kind in the world, with the world-wide rights to books for children and Young Adults up for sale - including over one hundred New Zealand ones. Leading our big push at the 54th Fair this year is long-time literary agent - and Bologna veteran - Frances Plumpton, and Sophie Siers from a new publisher, Millwood Press. So how have they managed to stand out from the rest? Lynn Freeman spoke to Frances and Sophie on Wednesday, halfway through the four day event...and also to Nicky Page who asked them to manage the one-off Dunedin UNESCO City of Literature stand at the Book Fair. Apr 09, 2017 01:34 pm Remembering those old TV and radio ads This month marks 56 years since the first television commercial was screened in New Zealand. To celebrate that event - if "celebrate" is the right word! - Nga Taonga Sound & Vision has selected, restored and posted more than 300 ads - TV, film and radio - in an online exhibition called Sellabration. Sarah Johnston, Client Service Co-ordinator for Nga Taonga Sound & Vision talks to Lynn Freeman about the exhibition, and take us back to the 1930s when Prime Minister Michael Joseph Savage had to persuade the public that ads on radio should be allowed. Apr 09, 2017 12:34 pm Maurice Clark: preserving Wellington's historical buildings Since the November earthquake, most of the news about Wellington buildings has been about damaged ones coming down. But developer and engineer Maurice Clark is determined to save the capital's historic buildings. Maurice lovingly restored the quake-damaged deco-style Old Public Trust Building - though at a cost of 10-million dollars. At the moment he's behind a massive renovation of the old Dominion Post buildings on Boulcott Street. Lynn Freeman talks to Maurice White what significant values heritage buildings offer to the city. Apr 09, 2017 12:16 pm Older stories Remembering actor Bernard Kearns 18 year old winner of illustration award Sci-fi novel Star Sailors - Love! Revolution! Aliens! Hokitika! New novel set in the slums of gold rush Dunedin The Laugh Track - Penny Ashton Not all audio is available due to copyright restrictions