How to get the most out of festivals (Perth Writers Festival 2012)

Last year I achieved a personal best at the 2011 Perth Writers Festival, attending 20 one hour sessions. Admittedly the last few sessions were listened to from the floor at the back of the room, as I stretched out my back … backs just aren’t designed to sit in straight back conference, or rounded plastic chairs for 20 hours. This year I took a different strategy … this time I’d have a plan.

Four days before the 2012 Perth Writers Festival I straightened out the program on my desk and considered what I wanted to see, adopting a KISS strategy. After a while however there were too many names jockeying for pole position in my head. So I went back to the beginning re-read all the titles and author profiles, this time placing a small dot next to the items that made it through my Festival Filter (more on that later) and a line through those that didn’t. Then the computer beeped announcing an email from an author I’d been trying to reach for six months.



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The next day during a brief work interlude I looked at the program again determined to lock in my choices using Strategy 2 – Asterix. Crude asterix were drawn next to the items I still found interesting. Then the phone rang … the caller pleading for help with a proposal into indigenous mental health across Australia. The proposal was due the next morning and it still needed some costing and methodological refinement …sure.

One day to go, I read the list again and the result …most of the asterix items were still of interest (at least I’m consistent), and so Strategy 3 – the sheep dog was employed. This time the items were caged in by solid ink squares like wayward sheep being herded into pens. This was good, they stood out from those already marked up in Strategies 1 and 2. Ignoring the ringing mobile phone to my right I picked up the landline, made the call, bought the tickets and wrote the words ‘bought’ in big letters on the penned in, asterixed, dotted titles … no room for ambiguity there. Done!

Finally I made it to the Perth Writers Festival where mid morning some fairly new acquaintances asked me what I was going to see next. My mind went blank. I had no idea. There was nothing to do but sheepishly pull out my patchwork program. As I ran my finger down the list and pointed out what was next I looked up to see them just looking at me …

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When they didn’t answer I said …

‘Oh … yeah … the paper … what can I say I’m a researcher?’ trying to smile. When they still didn’t reply I added ‘someone looked at it and said I was anal’. To which one of them replied  ... ‘they’ve got a point.’

So what strategies do you use to get the most out of a festival?

More Perth Writers Festival to come.

Lightbulb moments at 2012 Tropfest smorgasbord

There’s something magical about sitting outside watching movies under the summer sky, it’s guaranteed to make my heart sing. For me Movie Extra Tropfest, held annually at Fremantles Bohemia Outdoor Cinema, is the pinnacle. As soon as the screening date is announced it’s in my diary.

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This years smorgasbord of 16 short films included: a clown being questioned; a magical photo booth found in a war-torn location; Byron Bay’s dancing man Tommy Franklin; a misplaced kitchen proposal; a solution for colourblindness and a mobile phone inserted where it shouldn’t be ... just to name a few. Each feature had to include the Tropfest Signature Item (TSI), which this year was a lightblub. I didn’t envy the judges Geoffrey Rush, Nicole Kidman, Cate Blanchett, Toni Collette and Asher Keddie.

The winner was the Lemonade Stand by Melbourne’s Alethea Jones, which married homemade lemonade and a pair of old socks with the consequences of misreading people’s intentions. The films producer Julian Vincent is a Perth boy, currently working at Fremantle Media in Melbourne. You can see the film here Lemonade Stand

Boo by Rupert Reid took out second place along with the Telstra Crowd Pleaser Award. Featuring an elderly couples unique approach to death, where each staged death results in tears of laughter until … It should definitely come with a Don’t Try This at Home warning.

This years show also began with the Telstra Mobile Masterpieces, remarkable short pieces filmed on mobile phones. They had me pondering once again my immense shortsightedness of relying on my phone as a communication device, only.

If you happen to be in Margaret River over the March long weekend there’ll be two special Tropfest screenings at Mad Fish Winery. Otherwise the 2013 countdown clock is already showing 11 months 28 days and 17 hours. With the signature item of a balloon for 2013, it already has me pondering what I might see ...

1. A Tarantino-esk papier-mâché  massacre perhaps?
2. Or suicide water bombing scene?
3. If balloon dogs have agents I guess they'll be uping their fees.
4. Any ideas?

Brilliance of James Thierree in Raoul (Perth Festival 2012)

It’s clear to see why James Thierree and La Campagnie du Hanneton have won so many awards including four Moliere Awards, France’s highest achievement in theatre. In Raoul, his latest show on at the Regal Theatre, his movements are spellbinding; his lineage to Charlie Chaplin clearly on show, so much so it was easy to think that was who you were watching. For me, though it was what I witnessed after the show that catapulted him into legend status …



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Arriving at the theatre and being invited to move down to the front instantly makes you ponder … why? Thankfully this wasn’t needed, there was a simple explanation and along with my fellow relocatees we were left to enjoy the night. The show is difficult to talk about for two reasons, one you don’t want to give anything away (as unfortunately some reviewers have), and two it’s one of those shows where you suspend all reasoning and just let it flow over you.

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Returning home Raoul finds his house seemingly possessed and embarks on a battle with everyday appliances, marine creatures and himself. A combination of mime, dance, puppetry, magic, and lighting, the show is 90 minutes of disbelief, giggles and melancholy. Anyone who’s had trouble getting comfortable in a chair while reading a book will thoroughly enjoy that moment in the show. Likewise the use of kitchen implements during a fight, particularly a lethal ice cream scoop. And there's an interesting take on hanging a picture. The show certainly gives you a lot to ponder about …one of several underlying messages was the need to get out amongst life, a notion that’s dear to The Ponder Rooms heart.





However his true brilliance was revealed after the show.

Standing solo outside the theatre after his patrons had returned to their own homes, James decided against setting off alone into Subiaco, even though he’d been given directions (lots of hand waving from a fellow cast member, no doubt the preferred method for those versed in mime). Instead he waited for the rest of his party to arrive. A good decision as the heat of the 37 degree day was still present in the night air, meaning any excess movement was to be avoided.

It was somewhat surreal to see him wandering around looking in shop windows, his legs moving in a normal trajectory unlike the various contortions we’d seen during the show. But this wasn’t the most amazing thing …

Wearing tan knee length shorts, t-shirt, a long light green scarf wrapped around his neck and … a navy jacket! … a jacket! … in Perth! …in February! … after a 37 degree day! Forget the amazing agility and lightness of touch on display during Raoul, clearly the man is just not human.

Mating rituals of kite surfers (Valentines Day 2012)

With my consumer psychology hat on, Valentines Day at Scarborough Beach also had me pondering about the mating rituals of kite surfers …

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The preponderance of kite surfers still on the water as the Valentines Day sun sank had me believing that …



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Kite surfing is a single persons sport?



Or they have other abilities that allow them to pass on these crucial commercially infused romantic hours?

Or perhaps kite surfers only begat other kite surfers and so their partners were riding the waves next to them?

Either way I'm guessing the view most likely to send their heartrate soaring was not chocolate, strawberries, or oysters, but the sight of the sun sinking over their kites ….



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Romantic Outlook ... Hazy (Valentines Day 2012)

On Saturday night a flock of angles descended on St Georges Terrace  courtesy of Lotterywest Festival Celebration Place de Anges. The Les Studios de Cirque performance can be seen on the Festival of Perth facebook page here Perth Festival Angles ... hopefully. 30,000 people and two tonnes of feathers, the photos are amazing. Three days later Valentines Day 2012 …

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As the throng of couples gathered for the Scarborough Beach sunset, the smoky post-bushfire cloud blanketing Perth had me pondering many things …

1. How many nervous boyfriends postponed marriage proposals, thwarted by the less than perfect sunset?
2. Were the Romance Gods allergic to feathers? Was the sub-standard sunset payback for their senses being tickled by tonnes of feathers?
3. Perhaps the K.M.S.E group should have rented out their TV set and DVD see a very moving sunset
4. Here’s hoping the cloudy fog isn’t a metaphor for the couples future together... and that the red hot sun is.

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A very moving sunset (Valentines Day 2012)

What better way to spend Valentines Day than watching the sun set? If you’re in the east it’s over the hills and in the west it splashes down into the water, unless…..

Thanks to K.M.S.E Collective

You may recall that the winner of last years Perth Sculpture By The Sea was a group of young artists called the K.M.S.E collective read more here. As part of their prize they were invited to take part in the Sydney competition at Bondi Beach. However they couldn’t take their Perth sculpture over east so it was back to the drawing board. What to do?

Having spent days creating 1,697 waxed paper boats they knew what they wouldn’t be doing. After several flamboyant ideas, some of which would’ve been extremely hard to transport, they decided to keep it simple …

First they videoed a beautiful Perth sunset. Next they trolled the Council curbside cleanups in search of an old television set. Once acquired they spruced it up and freighted it to Sydney. They also came across a small black TV on gumtree.

In Bondi they set up the large TV on Bondi Beach and linked up the Perth sunset. Ta da eastern states punters could now experience the sizzle of the sun hitting West Australian waters. To see the video of the TV set up on Bondi go to The Best of Perth. Interestingly the company that made the old television set enquired about buying it.

thanks to K.M.S. E collective

The smaller TV was set up inside where patrons looked at one screen, to watch another screen, to see the sunset. 

Looking at the image on this small TV I pondered…

1. Do you get double the romance with two sunsets?
2. How many other verges contain old television sets that might be of interest to the original makers?
3. What else with this group come up with?
4. Michael Leunig would have been proud of the Collective and the message their installation sent.
5. Happy Valentines Day.

Whitebait Fritter Shame (Waitangi Day 2012)

Monday was Waitangi Day, Australia Day for kiwis, and what better way to spend it than submerge some wee fish into a batter.



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Ingredients

250g New Zealand whitebait

1 tablespoon self raising flour & a pinch of bicarb

2 egg whites, separated

Salt and pepper to taste

3 bowls and a fry pan



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Process

First make sure the whitebait is New Zealand whitebait not the Australian version. You’ll know the difference because the Australian version looks like sardines while the kiwi version are more like tiny tadpoles. 



In one bowl toss the whitebait with flour and salt until evenly coated. In another bowl separate the eggs and beat the eggs whites until soft peaks form. In the third bowl lightly whisk the eggs yolks, then gently fold the egg white mixture into the egg yolk mixture along with the whitebait mixture.

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Drizzle some oil into a fry pan and add a small amount of butter. When the pan is hot drop in a spoonful of the mixture. Like making pancakes when the bottom is light brown turn then over to cook on the other side. Drain the cooked fritters on some paper towel, then serve straight away.

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If you want the full kiwi indulgence serve them with a can of L&P, Lemon and Paeroa

Having watched the cooking process I was left to ponder ... how to enjoy the end product without going to bed thinking of hundreds of tiny eyes looking up at me from inside my tummy.



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Lions versus Monks (Chinese New Year 2012)

According to the horoscopes this is the year of the Dragon - the Water Dragon. The Dragon is a symbol of power, wealth and intelligence, while the water element helps calm his fire, which sounds pretty handy to me.

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The keywords for the year are boldness, communication, patience and endurance. It is a year to show your determination and refrain from being negative, lazy and unfocused.

All these good attributes were on display at the Buddhist Society of WA celebration on Friday night. Twelve monks had flown in from across the globe making for one mega meditation session. [I toyed with writing ‘mammoth meditation session’, but I wasn’t sure if Mammoths and Dragons would have occupied the same time zone, and if they did what the result would be should they come face to face, but I digress]....

The Great Australia Day Battle 2012

Sometimes being patriotic is tough and that was certainly the case this year.

The first battle was fought before my head even left the pillow. After days of sticky 40 degree heat and only three hours sleep, my body longed to remain prostrate meanwhile my bladder screamed impending doom if I did….the bladder won.



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As I ate breakfast I pondered what others would be doing to mark this significant day.

I felt sure that any new year’s resolutions involving an inch of movement would already have been broken. Bootcamp workouts, 2k runs and even a casual stroll along the beach were just too much to contemplate in this heat.

Clearly it was a day to spend with family hibernating in the afternoon in front of the TV or with a good book.

A quick glance at the TV guide provided two opportunities to combine both patriotism and slothing - the Australia Day Test and the Australian Tennis Open. It almost seemed unAustralian not to partake in at least one of these, but which one? Like Grand Final day family lines were drawn.

Boasting Roger Federer versus Rafael Nadal it was hard to go past the men’s semi final.

As the day drew on, the match continued and the clock got closer to that other great tradition, Lottery West’s Australia Day fireworks on the Perth foreshore. If the decision wasn’t hard enough the weather gods decided to throw in a thunderstorm.

As the clouds darkened news presenters came onscreen helpfully stating that there were lots of spaces left on the foreshore. I pondered that throughout the suburbs parents were trying to explain to overexcited children why they were reneging on the fireworks, even though the kids had been angelic all day.



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Just as we contemplated heading off to the foreshore a key stroke was played and the tennis got infinitely more exciting.

Twenty minutes later we were still watching the tennis when the thunderstorm began. It took a while to realise that every second crack of thunder was actually the explosion of the initial fireworks. 

A quick look out the window revealed the top of the fireworks. If we left now we could make it to a good vantage point in two minutes. So the final battle began … tennis, fireworks, tennis, fireworks.

Finally with the rain pelting down, the sliding doors had to be closed to stop the rain hitting the TV, and the winner of the Great Australia Day Battle 2012 was announced ….lethargy.

After that all that was left to do was ponder the true heroes of the day … those who ignored the heat, wiped away the rain, laughed at the lightning strikes and donned superman flags … thank god for the youth of the nation.