Queen of the stage, Alison Quigan is a mainstay in New Zealand’s performing arts scene.

You may know her best as Yvonne Jeffries, Shortland Street’s maternally-minded receptionist, or from one of her many theatre productions, as Quigan has spent her career creating stories that portray the real lives of Kiwis on stage.

She’s back to her theatrical ways, directing a brand-new production by Sir Roger Hall, ‘End of Summer Time’.

It’s the story of retired cow cocky Dickie Hart and his wife Glenda’s move to Auckland, a decision Dickie thinks is the beginning of the end.

Quigan told Jack Tame that Hall’s a great observationist, and it’s his understanding of his audience that allows them to connect with his works.

“He’s been telling the story of this particular generation for 50 years, and he is very loyal to them and they are very loyal to him.”

She started directing his plays in the late 80’s when she took over Centre Point Theatre in Palmerston North, but as a solo show, this one is a little bit more complex than normal.

“You’re actually trying to create all the other characters with the actor, and obviously with the writer, and so it’s a case of making sure that he’s, he can get from A to B to C to D, to all of that, so he can get through to the end of the play,” Quigan explained.

“So there’s the practical part of understanding how a solo show works, but also reassuring and just loving what this other person can bring to the play.”

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Taskmaster NZ, The Traitors NZ, The Chase NZ – Kevin Milne is wondering if New Zealand has run out of ideas of our own.

Being inspired by the success of overseas productions is fine, he says, but we shouldn’t just be copying them outright.

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Their 27th album and their most theatrical yet, Phantom Island is the latest release from Australian psychedelic rock band King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard.

It’s a partner to their prior album, Flight b741, and was recorded during the same sessions, continuing on with the same themes, but with a more orchestral sound.

Estelle Clifford joined Jack Tame to share her thoughts on the album.

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Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid

In the summer of 1980, astrophysics professor Joan Goodwin begins training to be an astronaut at Houston’s Johnson Space Center, alongside an exceptional group of fellow candidates: Top Gun pilot Hank Redmond; mission specialists John Griffin and Lydia Danes; warmhearted Donna Fitzgerald; and Vanessa Ford, the magnetic and mysterious aeronautical engineer. As the new astronauts prepare for their first flights, Joan finds a passion and a love she never imagined and begins to question everything she believes about her place in the observable universe.

Then, in December of 1984, on mission STS-LR9, everything changes in an instant.

Vianne by Joanne Harris

On the evening of July 4th, a young woman scatters her mother’s ashes in New York and follows the call of the changing winds to the French coastal city of Marseille.

For the first time in her life, Vianne feels in control of her future. Charming her way into a job as a waitress, she tries to fit in, make friends, and come to terms with her pregnancy, knowing that by the time her child is born, the turning wind will have changed once again.

As she discovers the joy of cooking for the very first time, making local recipes her own with the addition of bittersweet chocolate spices, she learns that this humble magic has the power to unlock secrets.

And yet her gift comes at a price. And Vianne has a secret of her own; a secret that threatens everything…

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"Do the Galapagos sea lions know how good they have got it? Sprawled across the pristine beaches, they wallow, snooze, and frolic across the powder-white stretches of sand, blissfully unconcerned by curious passers-by entering their slice of paradise on a goggle-eyed shore excursion. In fact, some of the sea lions waddled up to greet us into their realm of unrivalled wonder. The Galapagos grips you good, and doesn’t let go. I’m fresh back from my maiden visit to this extraordinary group of islands with Viva Expeditions, enjoying a four-night cruise aboard the magnificent La Pinta."

Read Mike's full article here.

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Nearly a million people in New Zealand are currently receiving Superannuation, getting payments of between nearly $600 and just over $1000 every fortnight.

But in this cost of living crisis, how easy is it to survive on the pension?

Ed McKnight tried living on it for a week and came to a couple of conclusions around what it would be like to retire.

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Oral hygiene is incredibly important for maintaining your health, but when you’re brushing twice a day, you can burn through brushes pretty quickly.

With dentists recommending toothbrushes be replaced every three months, New Zealanders send an estimated 20 million toothbrushes to landfill every year.

Is there a better option? Kate Hall offers a few tips that could help bring down the waste.

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On the Saturday Morning with Jack Tame Full Show Podcast for Saturday 14 June 2025, legend of the screen and stage Alison Quigan joins Jack to discuss directing a brand-new theatre production from Roger Hall.

Jack considers what real life skills we need in the world of AI.

Kevin has a few thoughts on what skills we should be nurturing and hopes they might translate to more original ideas.

Francesca Rudkin dishes on the dishy stars in new film ‘Materialists’.

And Mike Yardley recounts his exploration of the Galapagos Islands.

Get the Saturday Morning with Jack Tame Full Show Podcast every Saturday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.

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