The Parkin's Passion for Pandemonium

Meow Meow's Pandemonium
Saturday, 24 February, 8pm
Michael Fowler Centre
Wellington

Wellington entrepreneur, philanthropist, former hotelier and three-term Wellington city councillor Chris Parkin is also widely known as a fervent arts collector and arts patron. For more than 40 years many artists, arts organisations and Wellington audiences have benefited from Chris’ generosity and expert eye for creative talent, whether it be a cutting-edge sculpture or extraordinary performances by New Zealand and international artists.

For the Aotearoa New Zealand Festival of the Arts, Chris and his wife Kathy Parkin, who is equally enthusiastic about the arts, are the proud supporters of the unmissable experience Meow Meow’s Pandemonium, featuring comedienne extraordinaire Meow Meow and the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra on 24 February.

We asked Chris what inspired him and Kathy to help bring Meow Meow’s extraordinary show to Wellington and his passion for the arts.

Q: What drove you and Kathy to make Meow Meow’s show part of the Aotearoa New Zealand Festival of the Arts? Have you previously seen her perform live?

A: No, we hadn’t. But as soon as I’d read the reviews and watched a video or two, I knew it was the sort of offbeat show that so fits into a festival. In 2020, the last festival before Covid, we supported the show Slapstick, which was a similarly bizarre performance, five artists playing over 100 different musical instruments.

Q: For anyone that’s unfamiliar with Meow Meow, how would you describe what the experience of seeing Pandemonium will be like?

A: Unforgettable cabaret, world-class comedic and vocal performance, enriched by the full might of the NZSO.

Q: What excites you about Meow Meow performing with the national orchestra live on stage?

A: The combination of two such different performance styles. Like vanilla ice cream and soy sauce. Crazy, but it works.

Q: You returned to Wellington in time for the first New Zealand Festival of the Arts in 1986, which included the participation of the NZSO. Why have you been such a strong supporter of the arts festival over the years?

A: I think the festival is the keystone of our claim to being the creative capital. And being a creative centre encourages the sort of community which takes the city forward. It’s good for the body as well as the soul.

Q: Are you and Kathy already got your sights on bringing other artists to future festivals?

A: A lot will depend on how much support we get for this show, i.e. ticket sales, but yes, we are up for it.