Wilson Dixon brings his comedic take on country music to this year's Tauranga Arts Festival. Photo / Andi Crown
Wilson Dixon brings his comedic take on country music to this year's Tauranga Arts Festival. Photo / Andi Crown
Despite the lockdown, Tauranga Arts Festival is moving full steam ahead with plans for the festival in October. Earlybird tickets are on sale now and Sandra Simpson takes a look at present ideas for Father's Day.
Stuck for gift ideas for the man who has everything? Presenting your husband, father or grandfather with a ticket to a unique experience is as easy as a leafing through the Tauranga Arts Festival programme. Earlybird ticket prices apply to most shows.
Dad-joke dad
After a sold-out show at the 2019 festival, comedic country singer Wilson Dixon returns to Tauranga with new stories and songs from Cripple Creek in Put the Gun Down, Jethro! (and other happy memories from recent family gatherings). October 21.
Acrobatic clown Thomas Monckton has honed his circus skills overseas and now brings home his one-man madcap family show The Artist. All the poor guy wants to do is paint but chaos follows him around his studio like a stray dog. For ages 5 to 105. October 23.
Kiwi performer Thomas Monckton has returned from overseas with his hit family show The Artist. Photo / Antti Saukk
Groovy dad
Plenty to choose from for this dad – the sunny indie rock of The Beths (October 22), the latest acclaimed album from Troy Kingi with Delaney Davidson (October 23), the thoughtful magic of Lawrence Arabia (October 28), the cool sounds of the Lucien Johnson Jazz Quarter (October 30) and the inimitable Che Fu in a special 20th anniversary performance of his seminal album The Navigator (October 30).
Silver. Stone. Wood. Bone. brings together Western flute and traditional Māori instruments in new pieces by New Zealand composers, including John Psathas, Gillian Whitehead and Gareth Farr (October 25).
Che Fu is celebrating 20 years of The Navigator album by performing it on stage. Photo / Supplied
Drama dad
Hello Darkness, crafted from the writings of the late Peter Wells as he faced his terminal illness, is moving and surprisingly amusing (October 26-27), while Every Brilliant Thing (October 21-22) is, as one reviewer said, "one of the funniest plays you'll ever see about depression – and possibly one of the funniest plays you'll ever see, full stop".
Something different dad
Owls do Cry is high-energy theatre that uses Janet Frame's novel as a springboard into a performance that has captivated audiences around the country (October 26). Writer Witi Ihimaera narrates Floating Islands, a show that also features soprano Mere Boynton and live music, and is based on his two most recent books (October 29).
Good yarn dad
Andrew Crowe highlights the intrepid nature of Polynesian exploration (October 30); GPs and writers Glenn Colquhoun and Andrew Corin discuss the importance of story in diagnosis (October 31); and forensic pathologist Cynric Temple-Camp and journalist Steve Braunias talk about true crime (October 31). Day passes are also available for the Speaker programme.
Andrew Crowe spent 15 years on his award-winning book Pathway of the Birds about Polynesian exploration of the Pacific. Photo / Supplied
Bank of dad
The most recent book from award-winning finance writer Mary Holm, A Richer You: How to Make the Most of Your Money, topped the New Zealand bestseller list earlier this year. She will discuss some of the mistakes and triumphs ordinary people have shared with her (October 31).
Reset: New Ways of Thinking brings together experts in health, governance, environment, money and horticulture to share ideas on how as a nation we might change our way of doing things. Audience contributions welcome (October 31). News News News, a live broadcast from Baycourt by Mt Maunganui Primary School students, offers a fresh way of looking at where we live and what matters (October 30-31).
• Tauranga Arts Festival runs from October 21-31. Earlybird ticket prices are available to most shows until September 5. Tickets from Baycourt box office or via the festival website. See the full programme at taurangafestival.co.nz.
