Frontseat, Sunday 9th April, 10.15pm on TV One (after The Taming of the Shrew)
BODICE-RIPPING FICTION
Some dismiss historic novels as mere bodice-rippers, others as a lazy way to visit the past. But those who write them
are doing really rather well as the popularity of historical fiction grows. To get the inside word on this literary
world, we meet Australasia’s grand dames of the genre: our own best-seller, Jenny Pattrick, and Australia’s Posie Graeme
Evans (creator of ‘McLeod’s Daughters’). Jenny Pattrick’s new novel is “In Touch with Grace” and Posie Graeme Evans’ is
“The Beloved”.
RONALD WHO? MORRIESON:
Recent award-winning biographies of writers like Robin Hyde, Janet Frame and Frank Sargeson have sparked an appetite for
their earlier works. But you’d be hard pressed to find a lot of them in bookshops thanks to an unhelpful attitude from
publishers, as Josie McNaught discovers. But a university professor is taking matters into his own hands.
WHY SAY YES?:
Not all artists want to talk about their work. Some turn down media interviews because they prefer their work to do the
talking. Those who do talk, generally have something to say. Not so with Jacqueline Fraser. Back in New Zealand after a
self-imposed exile, her new show Bimbo, at Michael Lett Gallery in Auckland, has been eagerly anticipated. But we’re not
entirely sure why she bothered appearing on Frontseat, given what little she had to say. Warning: includes an artist
walk-out.
WOOLLY SOCKS:
Hawke’s Bay’s Norsewear Art awards have come a long way since their humble origins as an art show for farming folk in
Waipukerau. Twenty years on, the event is on the verge of becoming the biggest art prize in the country, Julie Hill
talks to Dick Frizzell and Martin Popplewell about choosing the winners.
ALSO:
ICONOGRAPHY: New works referencing ancient religious icons by Kathie Hewitt and Lesley Christiansen.
VOTE FOR THE GREATEST NZ PAINTING: Our Search for the Greatest New Zealand Painting took a bit of flak last week from
one or two art critics who thought the top 10 finalists were “lame and embarrassing”. Since they were selected by
Frontseat’s viewers, we think you should take these comments personally and get voting! The top ten can be seen and
voted for on our website.
Best regards,
The Frontseat Team
TV One, Sunday Nights
Repeat screening 8.00am the following Saturday
ENDS