We have kept the desert island, but made the whole she-bang super-difficult, by painting a carefully crafted scenario commensurate to the skills of the professionals and leaders to whom we put the question.
How will they respond? Will they be able to stand the pressure of ... David Loughrey's 'A Desert Island Conundrum'?
Founding Arts Festival Dunedin director Nicholas McBryde stepped back into the breach this year, taking an event that lost money for the first time last year, and whipping it back into shape with a firm, but artful hand.
His work kept us all looking arty and feeling just a little posh.
Nicholas' Desert Island Conundrum is to:Name three things you would take to a desert island that ... has no arts festival.
1. A bottle of excellent single malt.
One of the special joys of life is golden nectar from Scotland. Once a month, I meet with some male colleagues (of a musical persuasion) at the local whisky bar to sample one or two of their huge range and to ruminate about life, the universe, and everything in the world of music and the performing arts. Since I'll be on my own on my desert island, I can at least enjoy the civility of a good dram - even though this pleasure is best shared in the company of others.
2. A map - any map will do.
There is a very irritating turn of phrase: ''putting you on the map''. So Arts Festival Dunedin isn't removed from the map, where we are again visible, I'll need to have one with me just to make sure that Arts Festival Dunedin is indeed on the map! This map will occupy my time, as I visualise the exotic and exciting places I'd like to explore, and will trigger great memories of all the wonderful places I have visited and experiences that I have had travelling to different parts of the world.
3. My Jerusalem Bible
Without the Otago Daily Times for my daily scripture snippet, I'll need the entire thing, so that I can get my regular wisdom and guidance for the day, the week - for as long as I'm on my island. And it won't seem at all deserted with all the stories and conundrums of Holy Scripture.
