Latest news with #Easther
Newsroom
an hour ago
- Entertainment
- Newsroom
Speaking of Michael Forbes
A new literary event in Auckland feels like crumbs from a rich man's table, looks like crumbs from a rich man's table, and quacks like crumbs from a rich man's table, but some crumbs are a lot better than no crumbs at all when it comes to patronage of the arts. Ockham Residential, principal sponsors of the national book awards, are also behind a small, perfectly formed venture at The Nix in Grey Lynn. On the first Thursday night of each month for the next six months, two well-known actors will give onstage readings of two New Zealand short stories. The first event was held last Thursday. It was packed, exciting, and unexpectedly topical. The Nix is a six-level redbrick apartment building on the city's edge. It has 32 apartments. Ockham comms: 'Each apartment is provided with a stainless steel fridge, dishwasher, heat-pump, washing machine-dryer combo, and a Samsung cordless vacuum cleaner.' The ground floor art space has couches and not very good artwork and a little stage. Performances happen fairly regularly and selected writers are welcome to go there on Tuesday mornings to write in each others' company. But is there food? At the inaugural Thursday night short story event there were a range of wines, but no snacks. I asked Bridget van der Zijpp, mastermind of the Writers Write: Actors Read series, 'Are there any biscuits?' Perhaps next time. The seats filled up. A number of people said they came after reading a preview that I wrote in the ReadingRoom newsletter. I sat in the second row. The windows were slightly below street level. Van der Zijpp took the stage, and introduced the two readers for the evening: Elisabeth Easther, playwright, author, and actor (she will forever be known for playing the terrible Carla Crozier, Shortland Street's first murderer), and Jamie Irvine, who plays mandolin, lawn bowls, and the headmaster in the 2025 hit movie Tinā. Easther read first. She chose 'Collateral', a short story from the newly published collection Surplus Women, by Michelle Duff. It was about three women who break into a house in Coromandel and tie up a guy accused of sexual violence. 'The assault, Tom. Tell us about it.' The story felt didactic and kind of artless but as Easther continued reading, very well and very dramatically, there was a sense that something else was going on behind the lines, that the story was resonant with the big news revelation made public that day – the Prime Minister's deputy press secretary, Michael Forbes, had quit after Stuff journalist Paula Penfold published details of how he took intimate photos of women without their knowledge and stored them on his phone. Creeps, secrecy, abuse….Duff's fiction had imitated #MeToo and now, with Forbes, current events was imitating Duff's fiction. Forbes has been cancelled with immediate effect. The central character in 'Collateral', too, fears cancellation. 'We know you enlisted a PR team to help downplay the allegations.' Her portrait of a creep had everyone thinking: Forbes, and what he had done and what would happen to him. But the power of the short story existed on its own terms. It captured attention, it drew listeners into its imaginative setting. 'Collateral' takes place in the near-future. The home invasion seemed to be a kind of legally sanctioned course of justice. The creep was interrogated, and asked to explain his actions. He seemed more worried about the damage to his house. 'Was that the Hindu sculpture he'd bought in Bali in pieces on the floor?' He didn't give a lot of thought to his victim. 'He could barely remember her if he was honest…' There was a break at half-time to drink wine and look in cupboards for biscuits, and to further ponder the relationship between fiction and Forbes; and then Jamie Irvine read 'American Microphones' by Damien Wilkins, the literary man of the hour in all the hours that have passed since he won $65,000 fiction prize at the Ockham national book awards last month for his novel Delirious. The short story was further proof of how good he is, how assured and sensitive and really, really funny. 'American Microphones' was fiction as stand-up comedy, a laugh out loud masterpiece, and deeply meta: a short story about a man reading a short story out loud in front of an audience was read out loud by a man in front of an audience. A further layer of meta was that the narrator was Damien Wilkins, reading a short story set in New Zealand to a writing class he was teaching somewhere in America. Irvine put on very good American accents and his comic timing was superb. The story partly served as a portrait of Americans. 'At some profound level,' says the narrator, 'I think of Americans as dangerously carbonated people.' But the story was universal. Just like the Duff story, it opened up quiet and unsettling thoughts; the audience members in the short story were lost, poignant souls, and everyone in the audience at The Nix was surely thinking, Am I sitting in a room full of likewise lost, poignant souls? And: Am I, in fact, one of those souls? The story first appeared in For Everyone Concerned, a short story collection published in 2007. Wilkins's publishers are about to reissue his 2021 novel Chemistry (about a drug addict who goes home to Timaru). Good. I hope they also reissue For Everyone Concerned. Huzzah to Ockham and to Bridget van der Zijpp for Writers Write: Actors Read. The short story is in good health in New Zealand–Gigi Fenster was given $10,000 in funding from CNZ last week to create 'an anthology of New Zealand writers and educators discussing New Zealand short stories'; entries close at the end of this month for New Zealand's richest short story award, the Sargeson Prize, open to adults and secondary school students–and The Nix event was a great idea, professional executed. The audience, possibly lost and poignant but hoping they were not, drained one last glass and headed out into the winter's evening, thinking of Duff and Wilkins, of Easther and Irvine, and the name that has been dredged out of a black lagoon of New Zealand life, Forbes. The new short story collection Surplus Women by Michelle Duff (Te Herenga Waka University Press, $35) is available in bookstores nationwide. A review of considerable length will appear in ReadingRoom tomorrow (Thursday, June 12).
Daily Mail
26-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Louise Redknapp reveals she 'can't see Eternal ever getting back together' as their 'baseline beliefs are different' - after singer pulled out of reunion tour over trans rights row
Louise Redknapp has revealed that she 'can't see Eternal ever getting back together' as their 'baseline beliefs are different'. The band, put together in 1992 featured sisters Easther and Vernie Bennett, Kelle Bryan and Louise, now 50. But, hopes were dashed earlier this year after the band announced that they recruited a new member, Christel Lakhdar, as they attempt to return to the charts with their first album in 30 years, with only two of the original foursome remaining. Devout Christian siblings Vernie and Easther are preparing to return to the spotlight with a comeback show at Scala in London on April 30, but notably missing from the line-up are original band members Louise Redknapp and Kelle. And now, Louise has confirmed that the group most likely will never reunite in full due to their differing beliefs. She told NME: 'There's no ill-will. Those girls [Easther and Vernie Bennett] are hugely talented and incredible singers, and I'm honoured we made the music we did. 'However, our baseline beliefs are different, and I can't see Eternal ever getting back together, but I wish them luck for their journey.' In September 2023, Louise and Kelle pulled out of an Eternal reunion tour because Vernie and Easther had reportedly refused to play any of the LBGTQ+ gigs they had scheduled over claims the community is being 'hijacked' by the trans movement. Shortly afterwards, Louise was accused of trying to get her former bandmates cancelled by 'misrepresenting' their views. Discussing this in the new interview, Louise said: 'There was no big fallout; it was just, 'that doesn't work for me, I respect your stance on it – but it isn't mine. I'm proud of standing up for the LGBTQ + community and want to continue doing so.' She added that without the support of the LGBTQ+ community, the singer 'would not have had' the career she had and she's 'standing firm' on her opinions and choices. It's the culmination of long-running tension dating back to Louise's quitting the band in 1995 to pursue a solo career and cement her status as the UK's number one sex symbol and lad's mag favourite, which was said to have raised eyebrows with the devout Bennett sisters. While she wasn't the strongest vocalist, Louise was very much the star of the band and became a lad's mag favourite in the 90s, posing multiple times in her underwear for the cover of FHM as well as Loaded. At the time the Bennett sisters subtly let it be known in magazine interviews that her sexy image didn't quite sit well with them as devout Christians. Lousie left in 1995 to release her solo album Naked, while the band carried on without her - and scored a string of hits, including their first number one. They finally split in 2000 but reformed in 2013 as a trio - minus Louise, who made a telling statement on Loose Women last year about the row over the reunion tour, indicating the state of her relationship with the Bennett sisters. 'I would have always loved to have done a reunion with the girls,' she said. 'I have a lot of love for what we have done together and me and Kelle are still the best of friends.' Vernie seemingly refuted the claims made by Louise's team as she released a statement about how she has been 'blessed to connect with so many diverse and wonderful people from all walks of life during my career.' Vernie released a statement which read: 'I am "Eternally" grateful for the family, friends, and amazing fans who have and continue to support our incredible journey and artistry. 'I've been blessed to connect with so many diverse and wonderful people from all walks of life during my career. You all have a piece of my heart. 'Though it is impossible and counterproductive to respond to the overwhelming number of statements and allegations made online recently, I place this moment in God's hands. 'I truly appreciate all who continue to express love and support for my family and Eternal.' Eternal's original manager Denis Ingoldsby furiously defended Easther and Vernie, who remain his clients, previously insisting they are 'devastated' and accusing Louise's team of misrepresenting details of a private email. He told Sky News: 'Louise and her team have thrown them under the bus and everyone is totally appalled at their bullying behaviour by totally misrepresenting the situation to suit their own agenda. 'The girls sent an email to Louise's camp saying they loved playing Pride, and they loved the ethos of the event. 'For her camp to go on the record suggesting they are homophobic is utterly outrageous. This is nothing about gay rights.' Speaking to The Mirror, Denis also claimed there were no confirmed, or contracted dates, in place for the reunion. Louise's team have denied this to the publication. He added: 'Vernie said she had some concerns about the Pride movement being hijacked - and she is not alone - but this has now been weaponized against her, with Louise's team trying to get her cancelled.' Louise's publicist Simon Jones has stated that they stand by their previous comments, telling the publication: 'Denis Ingoldsby was not involved in the discussions about the Eternal reunion including all four members over the last two years. Easther and Vernie can try and dress this up however they wish. 'The fact remains that the duo said they would only do the Eternal reunion if no Pride or LGBTQ+ festivals were included. 'Louise would obviously not agree to excluding the LGBTQ+ community from their touring plans. We as a team absolutely do not agree with dividing the LGBTQ+ community or excluding trans people.' He added: 'Absolutely nothing has been misrepresented. 'We have simply explained the reason why the Eternal reunion is not going ahead with Louise and Kelle. 'It is a fact that an email was sent saying that Vernie and Easther would only do the Eternal reunion if no Pride or LGBTQ+ festivals were included in the plan. 'Louise would obviously not agree to excluding the LGBTQ+ community from the band's touring plans, and as such notified the duo that she would not be taking part.' Louise addressed her decision to step down from the tour by sharing the Progress Pride Flag on her Instagram Stories, writing: 'Always and forever'. The flag was created in 2018 by nonbinary artist Daniel Quasar, and is largely based on the iconic 1978 rainbow flag. The stripes of black and brown represent marginalized LGBTIQ+ people of colour and the triad of blue, pink, and white are from the trans flag. Eternal, who shot to stardom in the nineties, were planning a huge reunion tour next year, with the highlights including performances at Pride and Mighty Hoopla. Both festivals celebrate the LGBTQ+ community, however the tour dates apparently did not go down well with band members Easther and Vernie. It was revealed that Louise and her team received a message from Vernie and Easther, stating they would not be involved in any Pride shows or LGBTQ+ festivals. Louise's publicist said: 'A message was sent to the team putting together the Eternal reunion stating that if it was to go ahead, neither Vernie nor Easther would perform at Pride shows or LGBTQ+ festivals. 'This was because the duo felt that the gay community was being hijacked by the trans community and they do not support this. 'Louise is a huge supporter and ally of the LGBTQ+ community and both herself and Kelle told the duo they would not work with anyone who held these views, and as such the reunion as a four would not be going ahead. 'The team behind the proposed Eternal reunion are gay including management, PR and tour promoter, and neither myself nor any of the team would work with artists who held such views about the trans community.' Louise has performed as a solo artist at many Pride events over the years. The Eternal tour was set to be the first time the original line-up had performed together since Louise quit in 1995 to pursue a solo career. They soared to stardom in the early nineties with hits such as Stay and I Wanna Be The Only One. The band stayed together for another five years after Louise quit, before splitting and reuniting in 2014 on ITV's The Big Reunion without her.
Daily Mirror
26-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Louise Redknapp reveals fate of Eternal reunion after bandmates outspoken views
Louise Redknapp was in Eternal with fellow singers Kéllé Bryan and Easther and Vernie Bennett - but a planned reunion in 2024 was shelved after two of the singers shared controversial views Louise Redknapp has ruled out reuniting with her Eternal bandmates after some of her former bandmates made controversial comments about the LGBTQ+ community. Louise was a member of the original Eternal line-up alongside Easther and Vernie Bennett. Louise later introduced the sister to her friend Kéllé Bryan who completed the line-up and they went on to enjoy huge success on the charts - with smash singles including Stay, Someday and the chart topper I Wanna Be the Only One. Louise, 50, quit the group in 1995 and went on to enjoy music success as a solo artist. Easther, Vernie and Kéllé continued as Eternal on and off over subsequent years, it was in 2024 that the group planned to enjoy a full reunion. However, Easther and Vernie caused waves when they made comments about the transgender community. This led to Louise and Kéllé to drop out of plans - and it appears this has created a rift within the group that may never be repaired. Easther and Vernie have continued to perform as Eternal and have drafted in Christel Lakhdar as a fellow singer. But Louise has hinted that she and Kéllé will never return to the line-up. In an interview with NME, the Naked singer said: "I make no judgements on other people's beliefs, but they should also respect that I don't want to be told what I should and shouldn't be able to do. I've performed at Prides and Mighty Hooplas throughout the whole of my career, and I truly believe that without the support of that community, I wouldn't have had the career I have had." She continued: "Though I respect everybody's choices, I was happy to stand firm on my choices and opinions, and these are shows and events that I enjoy and causes I will always carry on supporting. It was as simple as that." She insisted: "There was no big fallout; it was just, 'that doesn't work for me, I respect your stance on it – but it isn't mine'. I'm proud of standing up for the LGBTQ+ community and want to continue doing so.' Asked if the original line-up could ever re-form, Louise appeared to drive a nail into the coffin. She said: "There's no ill-will. Those girls [Easther and Vernie Bennett] are hugely talented and incredible singers, and I'm honoured we made the music we did. However, our baseline beliefs are different, and I can't see Eternal ever getting back together, but I wish them luck for their journey.' It wasn't all negative memories for Louise, however, as she also cast her mind back to some of the good times that she enjoyed in the group. She recalled selling huge numbers of records - and winning praise from some of the biggest names in music. She said: "Regardless of whether people's music tastes were indie or rock, Eternal sold 1.5million records in our first year and you can't deny that. We were a live vocal act, and people forget that element. "We weren't dancing onstage to a backing tape. Whitney Houston was a fan of ours, and Luther Vandross rang us up when we were in the studio, saying 'I love this new track girls – you've done a great job!', which was weird.' Next month, Louise will unleash her fifth studio album as a solo singer. Titled Confessions, the record sees her co-writing and collaborating with big hit producers including Little Mix collaborator MNEK and Rachel Steven's co-writer Hannah Robinson. Discussing the album with Attitude magazine back in February, she gushed: "Walking into the studio with some of the biggest songwriters in the UK at the moment, you feel, 'Am I good enough?' Then you go, yeah, I really am, actually. It's backing yourself."
