Aussie actor, David Wenham, talks about the new BBC series, Banished

Banished

Governor Arthur Phillip, played by David Wenham, in a scene from Banished. All photos: BBC

NEW to BBC First (DStv channel 19) at 8 pm  on Wednesday, April 27 is the historical drama, Banished, which tells the tale of Britons – orphans, petty thieves, prostitutes and highwaymen – who, in 1787, were banished to Sydney in Australia. TheLuvvie spoke to  David Wenham (300, Lord of the Rings) regarding a new series in which he plays Governor Arthur Phillip. Continue reading

Fundraiser for the Pavement Bookworm Foundation

o-HOMELESS-BOOKWORM-facebook

Philani Dladla

JOHANNESBURG readers, book lovers and friends – here’s an event you have to put in your diary: the 2016 South African Indie Revolution (SAIR) Charity Event, which will be bursting with local talent in aid of their 1 000 book pledge donation for The Pavement Bookworm Foundation.

The event takes place at 3 pm on Saturday, April 30 at Skoobs Theatre of Books at Montecasino in Fourways, and will see Morning Live presenter Samm Marshall host authors Jean Archary, Fred Strydom (The Raft), Joanne Macgregor (Dark Whispers), Adrienne Woods (Firebolt) and Sonia Killik (Birth: F*ck yeah!) as well as The Pavement Bookworm author himself, Philani Dladla.

Other speakers include Ellaine Pillay, Kamo Modisane and David Henderson. Violinist Hana Yim-Wahl will be providing entertainment.

Tickets cost R200 and can be purchased by contacting SAIR directly. All profits go towards the Pavement Bookworm Foundation. Entry is R200.

Seven African writers have made the 2016 Commonwealth Short Story Prize shortlist

commonwealth Gillian SlovoSEVEN African writers have made the 2016 Commonwealth Short Story Prize shortlist. Twenty-six stories by writers from 11 countries make up the shortlist.

The prize – which aims to “bring stories from new and emerging voices, often from countries with little or no publishing infrastructure, to the attention of an international audience” – received nearly 4,000 entries from 47 countries this year. Continue reading

The 2016 Sunday Times Alan Paton Award longlist

alan paton longlist2THE longlist for the 2016 Sunday Times Alan Paton Award for non-fiction has been announced, in association with Porcupine Ridge.

This is the 27th year the Alan Paton Award will be bestowed on a book that presents “the illumination of truthfulness, especially those forms of it that are new, delicate, unfashionable and fly in the face of power”, and that demonstrates “compassion, elegance of writing, and intellectual and moral integrity”. Continue reading