A Slice of Banana Cake
Performed by Helen Brown at the Theatre Royal

For 20 years, Helen Brown has regaled Herald readers with her weekly column.

On Saturday night we saw another side to this remarkable woman – the raconteur.

It is no easy thing for a writer to leave the comfort and splendid isolation of the computer and go on stage.

But Helen seemingly does it so effortlessly that she can consider herself an entertainer as well as a writer.

The concept is simple. As she says, "In the great kitchen of life everyone makes their own banana cake. We all start out with the same ingredients. It's how we put the cake together that counts."

And so over nearly two hours, Helen took the audience on a journey through her own life – triumphs and tribulations, tragedy and love.

But this was no talkfest.

She engaged with each story, supplied the humour and the dramatics as required, and the musical interludes with jazz pianist Terry Crayford helped pace the show nicely.

In Helen's life, the ingredients have not always produced the perfect banana cake.

At times it has been soggy; at other times burnt.

But just like the ripening banana, the cake has improved with age.

The 300 Herald readers who attended the show will now have a fresh perspective on Helen Brown the columnist, and the South Canterbury Hospice also benefited from their attendance. – Dave Wood

BREAKFAST SHOW: Helen Brown with winners of the Timaru Herald competition for breakfast with her and editor Dave Wood. From left, Susan Inwood, Marie Ormsby, Helen Brown, Julie Walton and Vivienne Watt.

Stuff.co.nz
6th November 2006