Wow! For Aussie play at Bats

Last night I witnessed an amazingly good and important play at the small and innovative theatre of Bats near rhe Embassy Cinema on Kent Terrace. I had seen the publicity so I knew I had to see it as it was the second last night. The show was about the Stolen Generations of Aboriginals in Australia, in this case mostly in WA, and it was as tense as its subject matter. 

The young twenty-four year old WAPA graduate Ian Michael, was excellent as it also was his idea to bring to the stage these universally sad stories of deceit by government and horrific, inhumane treatment of choldren and thir parents. Approached by Michael, the director Penny Harpham, a very sensitive woman who saw what it needed for authentic stage production and who had the necessary skills to extract a sterling performance from this young actor. These thefts are still happening, the stealing of young Aboriginals from their families, and this play is so true it needs to be seen by all Australians, indeed, by everyone, as it is a universal theme of love and loss.

 After a very busy yesterday, finalising car rental and BnB at Christchurch (I have rebooked at the same BnB that I stayed at before, with a Kiwi and Thai woman who are making money to fix their house after the earthquake) I can now rest as all is organised for June 25. I may as well make it a birthday celebration for me as well, as it is in the same week as my 71st.

The boyz, Gideon, Paris and Reuben chewing the fat...

...with Reuben holding the stage.

..they are all lovely young men.

But here is an example of ugly New Zealand, with a premeditated murder by three of one innocent young man. There is some really weird stuff going on in the outer suburbs and I wonder how dark the history is in New Zealand.

Joe Bennett wants a new flag, but not the silly suggested one by the PM

The future of retail Wellington looks bright because of David Jones arriving later this year, or next year depending...

The Aussies win, again, but not nice.

...here are the talented schoolboy athletes who will see NZ into the future. I would like to attend this competition next Tuesday.

The Toastmasterso went well again, although they are increasing substantially the subs from the US and I fear we are getting little bang for our bucks. We need to reassess the situation and see what they are offering in return for $150 yearly?

Later lunch at Home Café at the National Library and a good read of the Guardian Weekly with an excellent update on European news. And late in the evening I caught my first movie of the French Film Festival at the Embassy. It called 'Lolo' and was made by, and stars, Julie Delpy who is always good and with Karin Viard she is quite funny, although the movie is about her horrible son played to perfection by Vincent Lacoste.

Dany Boon is also excellent and it is a modern French Rom-Com with a few twists 'à la française' ..enjoyable.