Literature, Photography, Comedy on Arts Monday with Margaux Dombkins 13 April 2015

Author, Libby Hathorn, Photographer, Jane Long, and Sydney Comedy Festival’s Shane Smith are my guests today. Renowned author, Libby Hathorn discusses her latest book ‘Eventual Poppy Day’ which was inspired by her own family’s experience of World War 1. In Eventual Poppy Day, Libby has combined her uncle’s war records, family folklore and her own research to portray the repercussions of a death felt down the generations.

        “I set out to connect my grandmother’s day with a family of today – with all their differing attitudes and doubts           about times of war”

The story follows two seventeen-year-old boys. Maurice, who is sent to Gallipoli, and his great-great nephew Oliver, whose discovery of Maurice’s WW1 diary helps him understand more about his own life.

Elizabeth Helen “Libby” Hathorn is an award-winning author of more than fifty books for children and young people, as well as for adults. Translated into several languages and adapted for stage and screen, her work has won honours in Australia, and internationally including the United States, Great Britain and Holland. She is the winner of the Alice Award, a National award for ‘a woman who has made a distinguished and long-term contribution to Australian literature’, in 2014. Libby was National Ambassador for the National Year of Reading in Australia in 2012, and is an Australia Day Ambassador each year – visiting country towns to discuss literature, especially poetry, and give workshops to writers and community groups.

Eventual Poppy Day is published by HarperCollins

More info: harpercollins.com.au and www.libbyhathorn.com

 

 

 

My next guest: Photographer and digital artist, Jane Long chats about her exhibition ‘Dancing with Costica’ with Costica Acsinte.

The Dancing with Costica photo exhibition is based on Romanian photographer Costica Acsinte’s black and white photos taken almost 100 years ago.

Jane has changed the context of the images –“I wanted people to see these figures as real people, more than just an old photograph”– and has added colour to change people’s perception of the images.

Costica Acsinte was a Romanian war photographer active in World War 1 who later established a photography studio in Slobozia where he worked until he retired in late 1960. Following his death in 1984, his collection was acquired by the History Museum. Contemporary Romanian photographer Cezar Mario-Popescu has recovered and restored more than 6000 glass plates and prints taken by Costica Acsinte during his long-standing career. The Dancing with Costica photo exhibition was held at the Romanian Embassy to commemorate 47 years of diplomatic relationship between Romania and Australia.

 

More info www.janelong.com.au

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Comedy Festival manager, Shane Smith chats about this year’s Sydney Comedy Festival which kicks off next week.

The 2015 program provides something for every comedy lover with over 180 hilarious shows including stand-up, musical, sketch, improv, gala events, children’s shows, and showcases. Comics include international superstars from the United Kingdom, United States, New Zealand and Canada; international debut performers; local comedy legends; and unconventional shows such as ‘The Comedy Spelling Bee,’ The Naked Magicians, Erotic Fan Fiction, and Theatresports World Cup.

The eagerly anticipated staged show, ‘Thrilling Adventure Hour’ from USA, will be set in the style of old-time radio performed live with a line-up of special Hollywood guests, while the Comedy festival’s Secret Show returns in a fabulous and surprising new location.

The 11^th Annual Sydney Comedy Festival:

More info / Program / Tickets: www.sydneycomedyfest.com.au   or Box Office: 02 90206966

When: 20 April to 17 May 2015

 

I look forward to your company 10.30am – 12.00pm

Margaux