East Portland Blog recently hailed via email one of New Zealand’s favorite sons, Tim Finn, for some local perspective on the show. The acclaimed singer-songwriter and co-founder of legendary New Wave vanguards Split Enz (whose classic “Six Months In A Leaky Boat” is played during a scene) not only has been watching the series, it turns out that he’s pretty well-versed in Campion’s modus operandi, as well.
EPB: How do you like the series? There’s certainly some feminine themes running through the episodes; I am certainly enjoying the suspense.
Finn: Yes, it’s Jane at her unsettling best. Just when you think you know what’s going on, she throws in a strange line of dialogue, or an unexpected shot. I love the way she tackles heavy themes without being heavy handed. She jokes about it being the patriarchy versus the matriarchy, but I think Jane’s enjoying the bittersweet humour of that as much as the tragedy. And yes, I’m sure there will be more twists and turns ahead.
EPB: Have you been to the Queenstown region where Top Of The Lake was filmed? As an American, I find it quite remarkable that an area that could be easily mistaken for Idaho, Western Montana or parts of British Columbia is actually nearer Antarctica. The scenery is a character in the series, it seems.
EPB: Top Of The Lake has some pretty universal concepts, scenarios, atmospheres and themes – including a young girl falling through several of society’s cracks. What are some of the show’s distinctly NZ characteristics that you’ve noticed?
Finn: I think that the show’s characteristics are more Jane’s than New Zealand’s. Of course, she is using what she knows and feels about that part of New Zealand. She writes there and dreams there, and colours it all with her unique imagination.
Jane grew up in New Zealand as the daughter of a theatre director and an actress. I am sure she developed her sense of the theatre to be found in the “everyday” at an early age. One of Jane’s preoccupations seems to be the interplay between men and women, the constant shifting between role playing and trying to keep it real. The tension between selfish desire and moral purpose.
Perhaps because New Zealand is a sparsely populated country, especially the South Island, it allows you to feel yourself alone and creatively free. A sense of “no limits” is part of the New Zealand character, as well as a constant search for what’s “right” and “fair.” An almost egalitarian attitude that gets us into all sorts of trouble when it doesn’t pan out. Jane gets right inside that.
EPB: What are you up to at the moment? Are you working on another album?
Finn: I’m developing a couple of theatre shows. One is a musical, and one is more spoken word, with songs. I won’t be in either one of them, just writing the songs. It’s exciting to work with writers, directors and actors. I have always loved collaboration.
EPB: It seems that parts of New Zealand have their fair share of rough-hewn characters. What are three things that a tourist would not want to do or say in a rural NZ bar?
Finn: 1. “How about those Wallabies?” The Wallabies are the Australian rugby team. This could be said approvingly after they beat the NZ rugby team, the All Blacks. It wouldn’t go down well.
2. “New Zealand should have gone 100% organic years ago.”
3. “The coffee’s better in Auckland.”
http://www.sundancechannel.com/series/top-of-the-lake
Top of the Lake trailer –
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YerIiHm-JtQ
“Six Months In A Leaky Boat” video –
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FeKdUeb1InI
