Is it writing?  Is it art?  Or is it just the perfect snarky, secret Santa gift?  Followers of my private writing will recognise these words and those of you that have employed my professional writing skills might be shocked!

This is how I have fun with words and take all the noise and musings out of my brain.  Now you can pick through my brain and take a little piece of brain junk home with you.  These A5 prints on card are available to purchase for $10 each.

You can come and leaf through them at the Square Edge Christmas Market tomorrow the 1st of December between 4-8pm where there will also be real art and craft people selling their creative wares.

If you can't make it to the market, then you can contact me or drop into Groovylicious on George St from Friday the 2nd to check them out.

I'll also have my notebook there so you can have a leaf through all the madness should you wish.  

Need more info about the market?  It's all here:  http://www.eventfinda.co.nz/2016/square-edge-christmas-market/palmerston-north

Directed by Ian Harman

I didn’t know anything about Dusty Springfield, and I’m not a big fan of the musical genre, but I am a fan of Amy Hunt’s powerful theatre vocals and Ian Harman’s directing so I rocked up to Dusty at the Auditorium on Centennial Drive on opening night expecting some good entertainment.

Well with quite a large stage to work with the set was underwhelming, in fact I wondered whether they had simply run out of time, or were running late and were going to set up while the audience got seated.  As I sat down there was nothing to gaze upon but a dusty old stage with some stacked chairs and metal props lying about.  I soon realised that this was the magic of director Ian Harman who managed with tricks of light and sound and a minimal use of props brought on and off the stage, to create scene after scene full of life and naturally flowing.  At times those props might have turned out as nothing but a chair and spotlight, and at others a mirror ball that filled the staged with dancing lights but each scene delivered everything required to evoke the senses and tell a story.

Amy Hunt starring as Dusty Springfield burst onto the scene with her strong soulful vocals immediately bringing Dusty to life, and man she nailed some showstoppers throughout the night.  If you are a Dusty fan you will be delighted with Amy’s honest and heartfelt renditions.

The journey through Dusty’s rise to stardom starts at her childhood with Hannah Sandbrook playing the plain, tomboy, red head,  child version of Dusty.  She pops in and out of the story as part of Dusty’s sub conscience and plays a solid yet tender role.  There is surprise after surprise in this musical as this autobiographical story reveals aspects of Dusty’s past that many (including myself) were unaware of. From a difficult relationship with her family, a brother that also found fame in the music industry, to her sexuality and alcoholism this show was a tumultuous journey - much like Dusty’s life.  There was a real breathing in and breathing out feeling to the movement of the show as the audience experiences the highs and lows of life as Dusty.

Amy Hunt sparkled on stage as Dusty and performed an outstanding job of portraying the emotions of the journey in a beautiful and respectful way.  But there was more than one star of this show, and man did I get goose bumps when Erica Ward hit the stage as Dusty’s love interest Reno.  The chemistry between these two was adorable and with the two of them combining their singing powers we were truly spoilt for enjoyment.  Erica’s performance was confident, strong, admirable, bloody outstanding, I got emotional watching her and Amy together, my eyes wetted themselves just a little, and in a particular scene (not too many spoilers) I wanted to stand up and yell ‘no, don’t do it Reno, please!  Clearly I got carried away in the emotion of it all...

Thank goodness there was some comic relief provided by Dusty’s loyal stylists and supportive friends the dynamic duo Rodney, and Peg played by Read Wheeler and Candace Higgie whose comic timing was ‘on point’.  It was nice to take the refreshing moments provided by these two to have a laugh and also to illustrate the safe haven they provided in Dusty’s life.  There were also the three mysterious lady back-up singers played by Tia Rongokea, Tessa Satherly and Victoria Owen, who demurely provided vocal support to Dusty’s performances. Their reliable presence provided a sort of reassuring constancy to the show, not to mention great vocals.

A cameo appearance by director Ian Harman in Dusty drag was utterly delightful and unexpected.  He seemed to levitate above the floor boards and danced energetically on heels in a way that I could not even achieve in flats.  So many performances by this cast were excellent – local music teacher Kirsten Clark and PNBHS teacher Chris Burton as Dusty’s religious and uptight parents played believable and enjoyable roles.  Ian Ball’s performance of Pet Shop Boys’ ‘What have I done to deserve this?’ featuring Dusty Springfield (who knew?) was a surprise and expertly delivered.  
​
A strong cast deliver an exceptional performance in this autobiographical Musical about legend Dusty Springfield.  Ian Harman is a magician who subtly casts a spell over his audience and brings out the best in his performers.  While I’m not a big fan of musicals, I love a good story and this story was sung into my soul.  I wish I could name the full cast here as the extras too were extraordinarily good. This gets a big thumbs up from me, and judging by the roaring applause last night, I’m not the only one who thinks so. 

If you know a thing or two about where to go for good coffee in Palmerston North, then you’ll probably be familiar with Thorne Coffee.  Claiming its space unapologetically and with aplomb this bustling coffee shop offers takeaway coffee, milkshakes, cold drinks and exceptional buns, as well as space on comfy couches and tables out the front, or a snug hidey hole out the back where you can enjoy your coffee unobserved whilst reading a book from the well stocked book shelf , or even discover the hidden softer side of the owner .

You will meet an eclectic (I actually hate this word but it is suitable here) range of people brewing around the vicinity of Thorne Coffee on George St, from business people to artists and politicians.  It’s a bit like Palmy’s version of Central Perk from American sitcom Friends, a real life drama for outspoken thespian Damian Thorne to serve up more than just coffee.  After talking to Damian, proprietor extraordinaire – it turns out that this piping hot coffee shop was born to donate life to its bigger sibling shop – Thorne Clothing.

Like most start-up businesses the first few years can be tough, luckily Damian is tough too.  He’s specifically told me not to say that he has ‘a passion for fashion’ in fact he replaced it with “clothing is what I give a shit about”.  Let’s just say that Damian created Thorne fashion store in September 2015 because the fashion scene for men in Palmy is pretty threadbare and Damian loves fashion and textiles.  It has proven a tough market to break into but Thorne is threading its way into the market and stocking an increasing range of handpicked clothes for the discerning buyer.

Damian’s skills are vast, he says he’s always had to work hard to support his love of acting and this has lead him to Sydney and London among other places where he has worked in many fields from catering to men’s fashion and everything in between.  He’s the chairperson of the board at Manawatu Theatre Society and admits – he’s more suited to working for himself.  Although this is his first time running his own business he feels that it is a natural fit given his past managerial roles and work experiences but it’s not without its challenges.

Shopping local, hell, even going to a shop at all is important to Damian.  He wants people to come and touch the fabric, and hear the stories behind his labels.  One of those labels  Simon Hart is by a Palmy guy that Damian knows from his school days, who now makes shirts – you don’t get much more local than that.  He’s also got a delightful range of Doc Martens, and even a range of t-shirts of his own label (Damian T- for the guys who disappointed their Fathers). T-shirts with designs by a tattoo artist are of vast appeal, especially to a younger market.  There are Happy Socks and Happy Undies (more than just how you feel when you’re wearing them, this is a label from Sweden), Manbags from Italy made from real Italian leather by real Italian Men, and a select range of shirts – not your boring business shirts, ones with interesting fabrics like Liberty Art fabric from London Shirts.  There’s also street wear, and more coming, including a range from popular label illicit. Quite a lot of Thorne clients are women buying for their partners, it’s certainly the place to get the classic Christmas man present of socks and undies – Thorne will give that present a quality edge.  

Away from bustling crowds there is space at Thorne for you to have a relaxed look around, for Damian to tend to your fashion needs, and for you to find something that is not mass produced and worn by every second person in Palmy.  Purchasing a Thorne product means supporting a local business, keeping a dream alive, and getting a fashion item that has been thoughtfully chosen by a fashion guru.  Trust me, Damian is obsessed with image, and the strength of his brand; he would not be seen dead in unfashionable clothing!

Damian prides himself on his customer service, he is exquisitely attentive to his customer’s needs,  and wants your experience at Thorne to be enjoyable, for you to walk out with a quality item you can smile about.  Thorne is not the only fashion shop on George Street but he is the only one targeting the male market.  If you’re a guy that cares about image but hates shopping, Thorne will see you uniquely clothed without battling your way through the crowds at the mall. And if you’ve visited adjacent fashion stores on George St and would like to share the joy of new clothes with your favourite man, pop into Thorne Clothing and get him a present too.
​
Thorne Clothing is stitching its way into the fabric of the male fashion scene and with little competition for unique male clothing stores in Palmerston North you could find yourself feeling pretty darn special in some exclusive Thorne Clothing. 

Many hands make light work, and that was how this lovely brochure came about.  

Humphries Construction had a subdivision that they wanted marketing material for, in order to promote their show home.  While they were nailing the show home, and the printer was setting the layout, You Have My Word collected words and ideas from the Humphries crew to create just the 'write' material for their clients.  

Together we created a brochure that perfectly fitted the brief and invited home buyers to dream about their new home at Wescombe Grove.