Murder victim's view
A new play by Carol Krueger explores the famous Parker-Hulme murder from a different point of view.
Much has been written and filmed about the murder of Honora Parker by her daughter Pauline and Juliet Hulme in 1954, but Krueger explores it from the mother's point of view.
Although dead, Honora tells her story, asking "why?".
Krueger says a lot of research has gone into the play and the audience are invited to join the cast for pikelets and cocoa and to discuss the case after the show.
The Victoria Park Murder - The Parker Hulme Case is on at the Fire Station Theatre, Mosgiel, from February 16 to 19 at 7pm with a 2pm matinee on Saturday.
Join in harmony
Four-part harmony singers Dunedin Harmony are holding a new members night next Tuesday, February 15, for any women who want to become involved in the a cappella art.
The open night will be followed by five weeks' free vocal tuition in barbershop-style singing.
The new members night is at the Dunedin Bowls Centre, 190 Union St East.
There is more information on the website www.dunedinlharmony.webs.com.
Western soundtrack
New Zealand composer John Psathas has written his first film score, for the Kiwi Western Good for Nothing.
The movie, filmed in Central Otago, has just had its world premiere at the 2011 Santa Barbara Film Festival.
The review of the film on the Hollywoodreporter.com website said it gets "an energetic boost from composer John Psathas and the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, who take playful aim at classic Ennio Morricone".
The film is the first by director-writer Mike Wallis.
Fiction fellowships
Writers from the worlds of fiction and journalism have been selected for this year's Buddle Findlay Sargeson Fellowship.
The two new fellows, fiction writer Sue Orr and fellow fiction writer and Sunday Star-Times assistant editor Mark Broatch, will each have access to five months at the Sargeson Centre, adjacent to the University of Auckland, along with a $20,000 grant.
Auckland-based Orr, who takes up her residency this month, has been a full-time fiction writer since 2006.
Her first book, Etiquette for a Dinner Party: Short Stories, published in 2008, made the long-list of that year's Frank O'Connor International Short Story Award and was listed in the NZ Listener's 100 Books of 2008.
Her second story collection, From Under the Overcoat, will be published by Vintage Random House on February 18.
Broatch says the fellowship will give him the luxury of time to work on a novel that will deal with contemporary New Zealand society, blokes, journalism and food.
He takes up his residency in July.
