CULTURE CLUB
THE ARTS IN OUR BUBBLES
Liam Stretch Culture Editor
W
hen I wrote my editorial last month, I had no idea that we would be thrust into another lockdown, curtailing many of the events that were set to happen in this city. Some have postponed or have been indefinitely cancelled, but others have stayed the course and will be able to go ahead when their time comes. Thanks to this nationwide order to stay in a proverbial bubble, I was seemingly provided with oodles of spare time, enough to present me with the perfect opportunity to catch up on some much-needed viewing, reading, and listening – all three at the same time if you count subtitles. It is, as usual, the arts we turn to when we need a distraction. Without further ado, I invite you into my bubble. Please sanitise your hands on the way in and make sure you use the contact tracer app.
RAIDED AT DAWN
STRANGELY PERFECT
With the recent apology from Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern in relation to the Dawn Raids, many may not understand the context. Stuff’s Once a Panther podcast breaks down the history of the Polynesian Panthers and their place in our nation’s history and New Zealand’s racist underbelly. The series covers Pacific migration to brutal crackdowns by the government, through to its relevance today. It is a harrowing listen but well worth the history lesson.
Based on the eponymous book by Liane Moriarty, Nine Perfect Strangers is the psychological drama perfect for an escape from the norm. It has an excellently balanced cast, with Melissa McCarthy (known for Bridesmaids) stealing the show for me. It is refreshing to see her in a serious role while holding on to her signature wit. The Hulu original show is available in New Zealand on Amazon Prime Video.
HC NMA0707_QP
World-class care may be more affordable than you think Contact: Ph (03) 375 4145 25 Mansfield Avenue, Merivale www.nursemaude.org.nz
NO HASSLE FOR THE HOFF David Hasselhoff either drinks bucket loads of green tea or has spent a fortune on plastic surgery. I’m going to suggest it is the latter. The man does not age. Equally ageless seems to be his voice – we most certainly have the modern wonder of auto tune to thank for that – and he has returned to the song sphere with a cover of Neil Diamond’s Sweet Caroline. I mustn’t lie; this is what the kids call a ‘banger’. In the most simplest of terms, I love it.
