PIAF 2013 & the Writer's Festival

    The highlight of the annual Perth arts calendar has just passed.  The Perth International Arts Festival, with the Perth Writer's Festival tucked inside the event seems to get better each year.  There is always a few way-out ther offerings (and how they exasperate Kev) and a few way cool things.  This year more Western Australian arts and works were incorporated into the program.
     Kev and I took in a delightfully frothy piece called "Clouds", a performance based on the artwork of Rene Magritte.  Just outside the theater, on Subiaco's trendy but short shopping strip of Rokeby Road was a bit of street theater.  An Argentine show called "La Marea" (The Tide) tapped into our inner voyeur and curiosity.  Who can walk down a residential street (or hotel corridor) without turning one's head to glance into the bay window or door and wonder what is happening on the other side?  Using converted shop windows for homes and sidewalks for street scenes, the connected but not related nine vignettes, are repeated every ten minutes.  Some of the scenes: a family eating supper, a man bored at a party, a courting young couple and even a motorcycle accident. Dialog is projected on the building (or street) near the action so spectators at any depth from the action could follow along.  A really cool performance concept that works on the right bit of street.
    The Perth Writer's Festival. It's not fair to complain that it is getting too popular.  The PWF expanded the number of offerings to meet the greater demand. Yeah. The PWF also spread out the expanded list over more days, now utilizing Thursday and Friday as well as the weekend.  Drats.  Who can attend weekday seminars and workshops save for senior citizens and those underemployed? (Notice I avoid using the term "professional writers" here- a gentle irony.)   Besides the great mix of free (yes, almost half of the sessions are absolutely free) and cheap (usually $13.50) events, this year included a free wine & mini-talk tent. Free booze?! In Australia?! I'm surprised that the tent wasn't overrun with people, unless they thought it was too good to be true. Naturally, I managed to sample one or two...or three... wines myself.
    This year I was particularly interested in play writing.  I've been rolling a short one-act play in my head for over a year and needed inspiration to get on paper.   Unusually, the session with playwrights - who refer to themselves as "theater makers" - seemed unaware of how different formats are consumed and processed by their audience.  Who were these people?  I would have thought playwrights, particularly those who adapt other works into stage plays (as this session was partially about),  would be the most aware of the flow and meter of different types of writing.  One panelist, a former ballet dancer, really made my teeth grind when he dismissively described audiobooks as "those cassette tapes your friend's 90 year-old blind grandmother used to listen to."  Kind of 'off pointe' aren't we, Nureyev?  When these blowhards  managed to stop passing so much gas, I did actually glean something positive from this session.  As I do for all of the sessions I can squeeze in during the day.
    This year I remembered to send the program to the writers I know who live elsewhere. Having been to other writer's conferences, I know what they are - and aren't - getting. Not to make them jealous, but maybe they can inspire their local writers associations to follow the PWF model.  Or, in the case of my eldest brother, just plan any future possible trip to Perth during the Writer's Festival.
    This year's Cool Art : "Tangle" Kids wrap huge colorful elastic bands around many May poles and then get happily lost and bounced around inside them. I'd tell you what it was like but they wouldn't let me in.  Hummmmpphh.

2012 Girls & Boys Names

    I have commented before on this electronic journal on some observations on people's names.  Like the difference a continent makes : Ashley, Bev and Dana are exclusively boys names here in OZ. Or the concern for literacy and future bullying  with "unique" names and spellings.  I know that language is a fluid thing and diversity is a good thing  but  La-A , Goldmyne and Kryschun  never should have been taken off the shelf. That first name is Ladasha, in case you hadn't figured it out.

    Last week the State of Western Australia registry office listed the Top 50 Girls and Boys names of 2012.  I'm glad to see and report that some sanity is returning. Let me share the top 10 in each category:

GIRLS
1. Charlotte  (193 sweet Charlottes born)
2. Olivia       (close behind with 192)
3. Ruby
4. Emily
5. Sophie    (Sophia at #17.  You're back in fashion, Mom!)
6. Chloe
7. Ella
8. Amelia
9. Ava
10. Mia

and, (starting humming movie themes) at #39 is Indiana with 45 of them toddling about in pink

BOYS
1. Noah    (207 on this ark)
2. Jack     (a perennial favorite, practically patriotic)
3. William
4. Ethan
5. James
6. Lucas
7. Jacob
8. Liam
9. Oliver
10. Thomas

the bottom of the boys' list is interesting:
at #49 is the comical Archie (52 of them, no less!)  and a two-way tie for 50th place with 51 apiece are the names   Lincoln  and  Declan.

   Losing some prominence are the golden oldies:  Mary, Susan, John, Matthew, Hilary, Hepsuba...oh, wait, that last one may actually be a bit moldy.  And the second-to-last name?  Well, there is always the 2013 list.  I'll start a subliminal message campaign in the local maternity wards this week.

March 9 Election

    The State of Western Australia had an election for the Premier (governor) position on March 9th. Politics really isn't a great pastime of mine, as a former election presiding judge back home, the process holds a bit more interest. In Australia, all citizens are obliged to vote in this election. Yes, compulsory with a fine for failing to cast a ballot. Each level of government  runs their own election at their discretion. Monumental waste of money if you ask me, but Aussies have trouble with the idea of tackling more than one jurisdiction at a time. The term of office is known-- four years for the Premier -- but  are as likely to be called on a political whim.  Elections aren't held to standing dates like they are in the U.S., although Saturday is a favored day with 8:30a.m.-5p.m. hours.  Nationwide, all votes are made on paper ballots!  And a voter doesn't vote for their choice of candidate but ranks the entire field in preferred order, e.g. Bob Smith 3, Sue Jones 5, Bill Cunningham 1,  Sam Fields 2,  Jane Doe 4.  The person who has the highest average ranking wins the election.  Making much sense?

     What does appeal is the short campaign season.  This was a five-week campaign, vote, count, finished.  The TV ads are standard: some show the Achilles' heal of the Opposition (such a divisive term but 'majority' and 'minority' are never used), others show candidates in rolled up sleeves shaking hands with the common man. In the country, the presentation is a bit less sophisticated. There is the standard head bobbing with small business leaders but everyone wears tee shirts instead of oxford button downs.  The newspapers, trying to make the most of this increased  circulation opportunity, are hard pressed to dig up dirt in so short a time.  One nonstarter was the rumored precarious health of the current premier.  That fizzled quickly in a splash of wasted ink.

    The main political parties : the Liberal Party (= Republican) and the Labor Party (correct spelling , = Democrats).  They are always a source of exasperating aggravation and laughs. I always enjoy the random proposals for civic projects each party dreams up as a way of currying favor.  "We want to build an elevated tram to the moon. It will make us competitive in the global market and put us on the map.  And, it will only cost 1.2 billion dollars!"  They have absolutely no idea where the money is going to come from much less a plan to accrue it.  No matter. Unless ground is broken for the project immediately, it is subject to being cancelled when the political reins change hands.  In fact, guaranteed to be cancelled.

    Well, the incumbent, Liberal Premier Colin Barnett keeps his office for another four years...or until the next election is called.