Diversity at LATE

Last night was the final in the 2011 season for Late at the Museum and Russell Brown took the reins for an evening titled ‘Life in the margins – otherness in New Zealand’…

Late at the museum 6 October 2011

Last night was the final in the 2011 season for Late at the Museum and, as we have grown accustomed to over the last 3 years of the programme, was an evening of intelligent discussion and great performances.

Russell Brown took the reins for an evening titled ‘Life in the margins – otherness in New Zealand’ centred around a panel discussion featuring Philip Patson, Ella Henry, David Cohen and Jacinda Ardern.

The discussion was lively, challenging and at times genuinely funny with each of the panellists sharing some deeply personal stories of the New Zealand they grew up in.

Ella Henry spoke of meeting James K Baxter in the cemetery on K Road resulting in the two forming a long friendship. Ella referred fondly to James K as Hemi throughout the evening, demonstrating the personal impact and turning points that can come from diversity.

Philip Patson, in an amusing story of a retreat he was on where he was asked to stare at leaves for an hour, warmed the audience with his analogy that it is decay that brings diversity.

Both David Cohen and Jacinda Ardern shared their own personal stories of diverse backgrounds. It was the openness of all the panellists, and their frank sharing that kept us all enthralled in the discussion, which ran a little longer than usual – but had none of us looking at our watches; indeed, those I was with agreed that they could have happily listened for another hour.

In what was perhaps a clear demonstration of the pulling power of Russell Brown and his popular Public Address blog, the turnout for the evening was one of the biggest we’ve seen this year, with a more significant portion of the audience staying beyond the discussion and into the subsequent entertainment.

The following drag show was more than cabaret as we got an honest glimpse into the trials, tribulations and joy of the life of a drag queen – whose transformation was laid bare so to speak for a full atrium of people.

Late has become an important addition to the cultural calendar in Auckland. For the two friends I was with last night who asked me if it is always this good, my answer was simply “Yes”.

By Lane Hannah 7 October 2011
Photography by Tom Roberton
tom@tomroberton.com
www.tomroberton.com