Time to Make a Song and Dance: Cultural Revolt in Auckland in the 1960s

by Murray Edmond

The 1960s was a period of radical conflict, when the desire for a new, socially defiant freedom affected every aspect of NZ culture: theatre, the visual arts, Māori activism, rock ‘n roll, literature, feminism, NZ film, direct action, culminating in a series of bombings that rocked Auckland at the end of the decade.

Featuring figures such as Janet Frame, Tim Shadbolt, Barry Crump, Jean Watson, Hone Tūwhare, Carmen, Bob Lowry, Molly Macalister, Ronald Barker, Anna Hoffmann and the Bower Brothers, Time to Make a Song and Dance captures a spirit of revolt that swept over Auckland and Aotearoa, creating lasting changes to the boundaries of what was permissible.

Murray Edmond has written a richly detailed history of the volatile events and personalities at the heart of the time.

360 pages, Paperback

First published May 10, 2021

About the author

Born 1949, Edmond, Murray is a poet, playwright, editor and critic, and attended Hamilton Boys High School and the University of Auckland, where he completed his MA and PhD in English. He also edited the third and fourth issues of Freed 1970–71 and participated in alternative theatre groups, including Living Theatre and Beggars Bag Theatre. His first collection of poems, Entering the Eye (1973), incorporated ‘The Grafton Notebook’, a self-contained sequence which included his most anthologised poem, ‘Von Tempsky’s Dance’.

His last collection of poetry, Back Before You Know was published in 2019.

first paragraph extract from The Oxford Companion to New Zealand Literature.

Reviews

[Cheryl Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s 5 stars because it’s a fascinating history of Auckland in 1960s. I’m more in the 4.5 stars region.

The tone can become a little pontificating and ever so slightly self indulgent, but it is after all a well researched look at some of NZs colourful characters and significant events.

I did skip a couple of the less interesting (to me) chapters.

An excellent read overall.