Writers and Illustrators - a discussion

At this year’s writers’ festival I was privileged to witness a discussion between childrens’ book authors and illustrators. Two had worked together on a number of books - pictured in John Anderson’s photo to the right - Anna Fienberg and Kim Gamble. You might have heard or read to your children their popular Tashi series, and just recently I reviewed Horrendo’s Curse (charming).

As well, Bruce Atherton author of The Billycart Ride and Sally Heinrich author and illustrator of The Most Beautiful Lantern were part of the discussion. (I couldn’t find a link to Bruce but I did find that of one of the illustrators of his latest book “Tough Old Teddy”.)

So many interesting stories were told…

Bruce told of how precious his first book was - The Billycart Ride - it had been 12 years in the writing and he found it hard to let it go. He spent two years choosing the illustrator (unheard of - thought Kim - for a first time author but it turns out that Bruce knew Bryce Courtney - and he holds some sway!) and eventually set his sights on Keith McEwen who had illustrated Paul Jennings books - yes I think it was a singenpoo illustration he saw.

Anyway, Keith was going through some stuff and it took him four years to do the illustrations and the first ones to come back he’d made the billy cart as big as Chitty Chitty Bang Bang! Well that wasn’t what Bruce had in mind… He thinks Keith tried to show him what that felt like by suggesting some words to him! In hindsight, Bruce reckons he would have trusted Keith more and he’s definitely held back with his later books. And if you look on one of the illustrations - Keith has written Atherton on one of the bottles of wine!

Interestingly Anna had the opposite experience with one of her books. It was a story about a little boy, Harold, whose mum was a scientist and he’d been taught to test everything. So one day he heard the phrase a cat has nine lives… he found a rough old cat called Balthazar, and proceeded to test his theory… in the end he comes to his senses having grown fond of the old cat and saves him from certain death.

The last page, the text says that now he’s called Balthazar and he’s Harold’s cat and he sleeps on the bed and he has anchovies and milk for dinner. Harold says that he obviously loves the cat and how could he have done that? Obviously it’s more important to love the cat than to experiment on it.

Anna thought the story would resonate really well in schools because it brought up so many discussion points but it relied on the cat being battle scarred and tough. Things didn’t go to plan:

They were lovely drawings, but the cat was the most vulnerable, winsome little thing and of course he looked like he wouldn’t survive someone breathing on him let alone throwing him out of a plane. So it was reviewed, “What does Anna Fienberg think she’s doing,” and “Don’t stock this in your library or you’ll have everybody catching cats and tying them up.”

Sally Heinrich was really interesting too. She writes and illustrates her own work and being an artist first the story ideas come to her as an image in her mind first. For The Most Beautiful Lantern she painted all the pages first and then looked about for a writer. She was living with a copywriter at the time and thought he’d be the obvious choice but it turns out he wasn’t so engaged in the project and so after realising that she was spending a lot of energy on nagging him, she decided to write it herself.

Now it seems she can’t stop. I’ve just read Hungry Ghosts which is a novel for early teens I guess on making friends and cross-cultural assimilation. Not bad for a painter huh? (my review? - an interesting story - a little bit preachy toward the end but overall entertaining)

Kim Gamble who illustrates it seems all of Anna’s work now plus quite a few others told of one brief he really struggled with. He’d just split up with his wife and he was asked to illustrate a story called Dear Fred about a family split apart between the USA and Australia. He just couldn’t do it, it was too close to what he was going through, until his publisher suggested he change the family into mice.

It was fascinating to hear these behind-the-scenes stories and inspiring too. (you never know… maybe one day…)

And it leads me on to a special plug for Miscellaneous Mum who is in the midst of having her first book published. W00t!

The Turning

I’m always keen to see at least one original commission for the Perth International Arts Festival, and this year’s re-imagining of Tim Winton’s collection of short stories - The Turning - did not disappoint.

I’m not a huge Tim Winton fan it must be said. Cloudstreet was okay, The Riders woeful IMHO - I just hated the ending, and you might have read what I thought of Dirt Music - the one I’ve liked most so far. Short stories don’t generally hold my attention so I haven’t read The Turning and can’t comment how faithful Bill McCluskey’s rendition of it is but I think it must be pretty close because all the way through I’m thinking “oooh this is very Tim Winton.”

Last year I went to see The Drovers’ Wives and I don’t know whether you caught this production - it was a dance piece reflecting Henry Lawson’s work and it used film to project the setting of the outback.

Likewise The Turning uses video and film to carry some of the story and set the scenes - very effectively. In a few of the scenes a woman films herself as she’s talking and that image is flashed up on one of the screens. Cleverly done. In fact the use of the film really does take the production to another level and I was intrigued by how well it captured the mood of the scene - important I suppose when you have a short scene and need to tell so much.

All they need to add is some of the smells - the bushland, the forest, the sea - to really take us there. That will be next I suppose.

The scenes though mostly dark and menacing are leavened by some almost Kath&Kim portrayals of West Australian characters. Ern, Cleo and Nan provided some much needed levity - with some classic lines:

It’s not a fucking truck, it’s a Landrover.

It is a truck and all we do is fuck in it!

Note:  If you are offended by “strong language” - don’t go.

Groover’s fave was:

Cut me off at the knees and call me tripod.

Some parts were so Western Australian, I cringed, and wondered how the production might travel - even to other parts of the country.

The music - like The Drovers Wives was by Iain Grandage - and it was lovely. Setting the scene without intruding. And the acting was fantastic. Especially Nick Simpson-Deeks who plays Vic and Alison Van Reeken who plays Gail/Jackie. Jai Courtney was also impressive as Boner. In fact the whole cast was good.

A couple of things annoyed me though. I don’t know why he bothered to rename Albany, Angeles. I really don’t. Every other town is named and really - how many other towns have had a whaling station on the South Coast? Irritating.

Also (and this was just me - Groover worked it out) I got confused because one actress played two of the main parts and I thought she was playing the younger her grown up. For those who have seen it - the Gail/Jackie actress is the one I’m talking about.

And finally it’s just too long. 3 hours and 10 mins plus a 20 minute interval. Way too long. Was it Rogers and Hammerstein who insisted on cutting their shows to end no later than 11.00 so that people could catch the train home. Well we drove but the sentiment is a fine one. Cut it back by at least half an hour (though not sure what you would cut) and it would be perfect.
In summary, it’s ambitious, completely Australian and entertaining. And if you get a chance to see it I’d be interested in your thoughts.

Will I read the book? Maybe.

Other reviews: Australian Stage Online, Guera

Review: Horrendo’s Curse

This little book by Anna Fienberg is charming. Aimed at 6-10 year olds I guess it has illustrations by the same guy that drew for the Tashi books - Kim Gamble.

The book is set in a village which is raided each year by pirates. They take boys aged 12 who endure two years of misery as slaves to the pirates. To help them survive the village school teaches them how to cuss and curse, how to fight, how to raise perilous pets.

The hero of our story - Horrendo - though is cursed with a Charming spell which leaves him unable to fight or swear or cuss.

If someone stole his lunch, Horrendo would say. “Oh dear, how hungry yuo must be! Why don’t you take my chocolate cake as well?” Or if a person happened to race by and kick him in the shins, he would call after them, “So sorry, aren’t I always in the way? Hope you didn’t hurt your foot on my shin!”

I love the concept and I’m sure kids would too - in fact I’m hoping one of mine will read it too to give us their expert opinion.

*Anna Fienberg and Kim Gamble are featured in the PIAF Writer’s Festival on Saturday afternoon.

A little game
Another review

Meow Meow

If you’re in Perth and can get tickets for Meow Meow… do:

International singing sensation, sequinned sex bomb and masterful comedienne Meow Meow has prowled, preened and stunned from Paris to Berlin and Vegas to New York.

Blazing her way through a beguiling blend of 30s Shanghai show tunes, 60s French pop and Brechtian drama, Meow’s razor-sharp shows lurch between mischief and melancholia.

With her distinctive brand of kamikaze cabaret, this classical dancer and opera singer dazed and amazed audiences at David Bowie’s Highline Festival. Get ready Perth - Meow is poised to pounce.

Special guest pianist Iain Grandage

We didn’t quite know what to expect. I saw the words comedienne and caberet and thought okay I’ll give this a go - could be interesting. So last night, a balmy evening with barely a breath of air we sat in our sleeveless dresses at the Music Box with Feline and her new bloke (lovely to meet you).

The show started with Meow entering from the back of the theatre, dischevelled glamour, carrying several bags - immediately engaging hapless members of the audience to help her out “just take it to the stage darling…” as she explained that she really didn’t feel up to a performance tonight after a tragic break up “I know I know”…

It was a fabulous show. Funny. “Where am I? What city?” Terrifying (don’t sit on the aisles if you’re shy). “Just hold me and love me.” Musical - the girl can sing and is ably accompanied by festival favourite Iain Grandage.

A festival highlight for me.

Review - LABJACD with DJ Dexter

Tonight was the Opening Night of the Perth International Arts Festival’s contemporary music program, this year at Beck’s Music Box on the Esplanade. The venue was great. Bigger than last year’s Verandah at the Perth Concert Hall - or at least it felt bigger. I did like the intimate atmosphere of the Verandah, but sitting back in the balmy night, the city lights of Perth twinkling overhead, under the stars in a music charged atmosphere of hip-hop salsa - I couldn’t fault the new venue.

Yes it was a bit of a fag to walk around the venue to the front over the grass in my killer heels, and you need to get there early to secure a perch on the soft comfy couches - the food is a little ordinary - hotdogs and chips - okay so upmarket versions - but all in all - a pretty good place to be on a Saturday night.

Musicians from Melbourne’s best salsa, jazz, funk and Cuban big bands come together in LABJACD - a dynamic nine-piece band who mix up hip-hop, Cuban salsa, jazz and Andean folk music.

Combining extensive musical expertise with their Chilean heritage, LABJACD are equally at home alongside Australia’s premier hip-hop groups as among some of the best world music artists from around the globe.

LABJACD were pumping. I’m not the hugest fan of hip-hop but loved the salsa twist and even appreciated the record sliding groove of DJ Dexter. There were lots of beautiful people shimmying and sashaying on the dance floor and Groover and I got up for a song or two. I felt quite hip and groovy. With it even. Here’s a taste:

And then I started to feel a bit old…

We’ll be back. Monday night for Meow Meow.

Keating!

If you can beg borrow or steal tickets to Keating! on at the Octagon as part of the Perth International Arts Festival - go and see it.

Clever, outrageously pro-Keating, hilarious, naughty - the singing is fantastic, the music varied, the atmosphere great. I loved it. Here’s what they say:

Share in the heady rise, tempestuous reign and tragic fall of the Placido Domingo of Australian politics. GASP! as Hawke ignores the Kirribilli agreement! THRILL! as Prime Minister Keating sticks it to the drones opposite! CHEER! as he wins the sweetest victory of all! HISS! as the evil Howard betrays his colleagues in his thirst for power! SCOFF! at the blatant historical revisionism!

I’m not sure what Alexander Downer thought, but I thought it was great.

The musical took us from Paul Keating’s first leadership challenge of Bob Hawke through to his last election and included songs capturing things like his Redfern Speech of 1983, the Mabo decision, the 1983 Election featuring Kerry O’Brien… not to mention a tender love duet between Cheryl Kernot and Gareth Evans. Sigh.

Would you have loved Keating if you were a staunch Liberal voter? I was sitting next to one and he said yes.

The shame of it is that it will never travel overseas - maybe they could do a musical about someone more universally known like… Clinton! They’d have some material to work with there!

The Tiger Lillies

We went to see the Tiger Lillies on Monday night at The Verandah.

It was truly “out there”.

Groover was expecting three scantily clad women (I had wondered why he was so keen to go…) I didn’t really know what to expect.

We met up with Mr Smartrider and his lovely wife Miss Lithuania and sat down in the somewhat chilly conditions of this outdoor venue.

It was dark, it was ribald, it was offensive, it was funny, it was tragic, it was bizarre. Did I love it? I’m not sure. I didn’t hate it.

I was waiting for people to leave - especially when they did a song about banging the nails into Jesus - I thought that might have crossed the line for some but I guess if you can handle “Sex with Flies”, blasphemy is small bikkies.

They were very clever in their music and the main singer had the most fantastic Edna-esque falsetto and some of their songs had me laughing - somewhat hysterically - but laughing. I was glad I went.

A Divine Lunch

Today I was MC at the Salley Vickers Literary Lunch, Part of PIAF’s Words and Ideas program. I have to say I approached the event with some trepidation. I haven’t “done” a literary lunch before either as a participant or MC, so I wasn’t sure what was expected. Rosemary at work asked me to do it. Yes I’m supposed to be on leave but they were keen for me to do it and she was very excited by the author although she hadn’t read any of her books.

So I received Mr Golightly’s Holiday and Miss Garnet’s Angel and started to read them - you’ve maybe read my thoughts on earlier blogs. I loved the books and had the luxury of time to absorb them and think about what I might say.

Then this morning Salley rings me and we have a lovely chat about her books and what she likes to talk about and I ran my “first question” past her which she said “hadn’t been asked before” - if you ever need to compliment a journalist say “Noone’s ever asked me that before” - such a buzz… anyway she sounded very nice and I was looking forward - in that butterfly kind of way - to the lunch.

Well it seemed to go off very well. Salley is delightful and such a generous author. She really gave fulsome answers to people’s questions and offered great insight into the way she writes and how her novels came about. My opening comments were well received - what a relief - and I was quite inspired to do more ‘festival’ things.

I am terrible - every year I look at the program and think how fantastic it looks but do I ever go to anything… At least we are doing Mr Cha Cha’s Ballroom! I was talking to one of the festival folk at the lunch and she recommended the Barking Gecko performance of Crabbing at High Tide which I think I’ll take the kids too… and I’ve been intrigued with Zastrossi which looks interesting. Of course the centrepiece seeking TRANSCENDENCE looks amazing and a must see.

Apart from that there is a free writers festival this weekend which has my name on it - in between kiddie commitments and cha cha rehearsals - and I must read Craig Silvey’s Rhubarb - the One Book of the festival.

I have though since returning home on this stupidly hot day started “Instances of the Number 3″ - the one Salley Vickers novel I haven’t read - and am already hooked!