The Age from Melbourne, Victoria, Australia • Page 14

THE GE, Thursday 21 July 1988 Edited by MICHAEL SHMITH 14 -r Arts Entertainment The mefledioinis of A matter of mind over prejudice Film MIKE DALY Stand and DeHvw (ViHage and Longford). llsasuie "OST of the; blackboard cal culations in 'Stand and Deliver go over the heads of maths i illiterates Uke myself, and when you consider the film spends nearly half its time in the classroom it seems a miracle that the writers, Tom Musca and Ramon Menendez, (also producer and director, respectively) persuaded anyone to back the project Predictably, and fortuitously, Hollywood gave them the cold shoulder. Instead they sought support from public broadcasting organisations as well as educational, arts and science foundations. The result is a highly involving, realistic movie that not only contains a clear message of hope for America's young and socially disadvantaged but is also first-rate entertainment Much of the credit must go to Edward James Olmos for his dynamic performance as Jaime Escalante, the real-life maths teacher on whom the film is based. Olmos, best-known as the inscrutable Lieutenant Castillo in TVs design-er-crime series, 'Miami Vice', apparently becomes a mirror-image of the overweight balding Escalante.

It is a remarkable transformation, not only in the physical sense, but in the faithful transfer to the screen of the Bolivian-born teacher's personality. Escalante is a brilliantly unconventional workaholic who inspires his students with an instinctive balance of confrontation and encouragement tempered with humor. When Escalante arrives at Garfield National U'AEMON greets us on bis knees. He is, be says through the interpreter, more comfortable that way. We are in bis dressing room at the State Theatre, Sydney, where the Grand Kabuki company from Tokyo is giving the third of its five scheduled performances before going on to Melbourne.

In the next half hour or so, the 71-year-old Living National Treasure will begin the long process of preparing himself for his role as the deranged and grieving mother in the Kabuki drama, 'Sumidagawa'. During that time be likes to be alone in order to feel himself into the role. But for the present be is happy to kneel on the tatami mat, his cigarettes and lighter at his side, and talk about Kabuki; an art form which has commanded his attention from the age of five. Kabuki literally means singing, dancing and acting, which very roughly sums up this rich and fascinating style of theatre, for which there is no real equivalent in the Western world. But the word originally meant "strange" or "far out" as well, and was applied to the revue-style acts which a Kyoto priestess, Okuni, presented in the early 1600s in order to raise money for a shrine.

Very soon Kabuki troupes had sprung up all over Kyoto. However, the ladies were considered too free in their habits and behavior, and in 1629 women were banned from the Kabuki stage. They still are not by imperial decree, however, but by tradition which the male actors are in no hurry to see reversed. This was the origin of the "onnagata" or female impersonator. In the English-speaking world the phrase bas sniggering implications.

But in Japan the onnagata is held in the highest respect none more so than Utaemon. Utaemon Nakamura VI (to give him his full title) is the leading exponent in Japan of the onnagata style. As is the way with all Kabuki actors, be began his training at the age of five and for the next 10 years was trained to play both male and female parts. At this point, Utaemon says, the actor decides which stream be wants to enter. The decision is made by the actor him- Roguish adventures on the cutting room floor 11 of Kabuki are being broken down.

TT will come as no surprise to Play-box natrons to discover from their JL program that this comedy-thriller uy uie ayuncy juunuuisi Jtran vuiuns began life as a radio play, and was fleshed out afterwards for the stage. For while it explores an interesting relationship between two offbeat characters, it does so strictly in terms of plot and situation. There is no attempt to employ the wider resources of the stage, nor to go beyond the bounds of naturalism, to say something of a more general nature about Australian society and the criminal element which looms large in it I All Collins gives his audience is an earthy self-made owner of a garment factory who, while an amalgam of recognisable low-life character traits, speaks very much for himself. Benny Wallis's philosophy in life is to "grab what you The truth of this becomes obvious only after the interval. traditions of Kabuki are being broken down, and that works are being passed off as being in the Kabuki style when they are nothing of the sort "If fresh winds are being blown into the form, that is he says.

"But my fear is that change will happen all too fast and that the purity of Kabuki will suffer as a result" For Utaemon, who is on his eighth visit to Australia six of them as a tourist Melbourne holds a special place in his affections. For on the last night of his 1978 season at the Princess, the audience showered him with flowers. "I was deeply touched by that" be says. "It was the only time that I have ever been given that accolade. It does not happen in Japan.

There they are very restrained in their applause." Leonard Radic went to Sydney as the guest of Michael Edgley International. Television US students, can open university doom Escalante employs repetition, anav logy and unorthodox history lessons interest and drive home the the process be wins the respect and affection of the teenagers, standing to gang members. He drives himself even harder thair" his students, to the distress of his family, despite a heart attack just before the vital exam. All 18 students, the class of. '82, pass with high or perfect scores, only to be accused of cheating because, there is a remarkable similarity in their few mistakes.

Escalante is outraged, claiming racial bias. The uniform results are due to bis-teaching methods, he argues, and would, not have been questioned if his pupils-, had come from more priviliged backgrounds. The examiners disagree: face the option of forfeiting, their results or retaking the exam. Andy Garcia, as an exam and Rosana De Soto as Mrs are in strong supporting roles. Director Menendez also draws connV dent performances from his teenage- cast most of whom are film newcomers, 'Stand and Deliver touches briefly on' drugs and gang violence, leaving a lot fo audience savoir faire.

But the East LA locations including Garfield High -f-lend an authenticity often missing in" other classroom movies. A film that celebrates youthful intellectual endeavor is all too rare these days: it adds something worthwhile to all our lives. second act What those tricks are, it would be unsporting to reveal. Suffice to say that in the best Hitchcock tradition the tables are turned and the biter is bit Peter Oyston's production, like the', script itself, is more engaging after the, interval than before. In the first half the-.

two characters seemed to me to be top comfortable with each other, when the' relationship should be rather more, steely and threatening. But in the ond half, the script takes on- a more relaxed and jokey quality, which is echoed in Malcolm Robertson's performance. In the end one even feels a twinge of sympathy for Benny, unprincipled rogue that he is. David Gray offsets him neatly as the menacing security guard who is playing a game of his own. The two work hard to bring life, conviction and variety to a script which has some neat twists and turns of plot but which really belongs where it began on radio or better still, as a one-hour telepiay.

'Live at Five9 all dolled up Review PETER WEINIGER TIERE they were, Ken (Terry Wil-lesee) and Barbie Doli (Jo Pearson), bright and perky, talking about each other's socks just as if they were sitting in your living room. 'Live at Five' (Channel 9, 5 pm) likes to make you feel at ease by having all the men on the program wear bulky-knit sweaters. Last night's show started promisingly with a tale of two trains: a preview ride on Sydney's monorail, which starts running today, and the last ride on the troubled Southern Cross Express. The 640 million monorail to Darling Harbor, we were told several times, gave a new perspective to city travel, with dazzling views over Tinsel Town. Not so fortunate was the Southern Cross Express, which went into receivership this week with debts of $15 million after being extensively renovated and fitted out with a gourmet kitchen in the style of the trans-continental luxury trains.

But Australia is not Europe, and too few paying customers were prepared to ride to Sydney in pampered luxury, lamented a glamorously attired reporter, stringing cliches together at a breath-taking pace. 'Live at Five' is supposed to be lightweight and in this it surely succeeds, perhaps a little too welt Short, snappy segments are no excuse, however, for excluding' any useful information. An exception was Dick Gross's segment on the Family Court system, in which he tried to explain that if it was used intelligently some of the pain could be eliminated from divorce. The same could not be said for the segments on ski-wear, the two hyperactive film reviewers, and the first in a series on wrinkle-removal treatments. After an, hour with 'Live at Five, being stuck in peak-hour traffic seemed like a whole heap of fun.

High School, in a depressed, predominantly Hispanic area of East Los Angeles, the school is plagued by vandalism, gang warfare and in danger of losing its accreditation. Having given up a lucrative electron-. ics job to return to his first love, teaching specifically computer science he discovers the school has been denied computers. To the astonishment of staff and students, Escalante decides to teach advanced mathematical calculus to his class of no-hope rs. The students are low achievers with a high dropout rate, resigned to a future where the options are bleak: menial labor, unemployment or crime.

Escalante encourages pride in their Hispanic origins and challenges them to aim high instead of passively accepting a traditional position on the lower rungs of the economic ladder. He promises the students that in return for total commitment and extraordinary effort they must sign a contract agreeing to extra morning, evening, weekend and holiday classes, plus 30 hours of homework a week they can pass the Advanced Placement exam. This notoriously difficult exam, attempted by less than two per cent of LEONARD RADIC Benny WaBit Meets hit Maker by John Collins. (Ptaybox Company at the Studio Theatre, until 6 August) Before this, what we see is a sorry character swigging whisky in his cutting room among the racks of clothes, while he makes a video film of his last will and testament prior to committing suicide. Benny, it seems, has been into race-fixing, horse substitution and embezzlement and the law is about to close in on him.

But Benny's preparations to meet his maker are interrupted by a Turkish security guard who used to work for him. Collins has a few tricks up his sleeve, but he keeps them all for the 6.00 Real Ohostbustaf. 6.30 Daybreak. 7.00 Good Morning Australia. 9.00 Good Morning Melbourne.

10.00 MuWgrubs. 10.30 New Davwatch. 11.00 Another World. (PGR) Afternoon 1240 Santa Barbara. US drama series.

(PGR) 1.00 The Bold and The BeatitffuL US drama series. (PGR) 1 JO Too Close For Comfort (PGR) 2.00 Emergency. (PGR) (R) Six MWon DoHar Man. (PGR) (R) 4.00 RJdgey Didge. 4J0 Flipper.

54)0 The Minister. (G) (R) 5J0 Perfect Match. Game show. Evening 6.00 News, Sport, Weather. 7.00 Neighbours.

Australian drama serial. Mrs Mangel receives an unexpected visitor. With Kylie Minogue. (G)(S) 7 JO Richmond Hifl. Australian drama serial.

The mystery behind Jill's disappearance deepens. With Ashley Paske. Angela Kennedy. (PGR) (S) 8 JO Page One. Weekly current affairs program.

The people of Vietnam are fighting a new war, this time against poverty. 9.30 Crime Story. US police drama series. Luca expands his business interests by entering into the film industry. With Dennis Farina.

(PGR) 10J0 Night Court. US comedy series centered around an urwrthodox young man who is appointed as a night court judge. The courtroom staff are stunned to learn that Christine intends to marry an insurance man. With Harry Anderson and John Larroquette. (PGR) 11 JO HoteL US drama series revolving around the staff and guests of a hotel.

(PGR) 1130 The Comedians. (PGR) 1.00 Night Shift Video clips, rock music and artist profiles, hosted by David White. (AO) Trtundercats. (G) (R) SJ0 Marine Boy. (G)(R) Interview LEONARD RADIO self, and not his master.

This done, he goes on playing either male or female roles, but not both, for the rest of bis career. Utaemon played his first female role at 15. Since then, he says, he has played some 500 individual roles. The part of Hannyo, the deranged mother in 'Sumidagawa', is one of his favorites. He first performed the part 40 years ago, and chose it for the Grand Kabuki company's first tour of Australia in 1978.

On the present tour, which began at Brisbane's World Expo and which will include six performances at the National Theatre, St Kilda, starting on Saturday, 'Sumidagawa' is being teamed with 'Renjishi', a colorful dance drama. Both works feature one or other of Utaemon's two adopted sons, Nakamura Fukusuke and Nakamura Matsue, as well as two other Japanese Living National Treasures, both musicians: 87-year-old Yoshimura Goroji and 90-year-old Kiyomoto Shizutayu. In the post-war period, Kabuki went through a slump. But today it has returned with increased vigor. Where previously its appeal was chiefly to the middle-aged and elderly, today there are many more young people in the audience.

"And Utaemon says, "is something that makes us all happy." At the same time, he is at pains to explain the exact basis of Kabuki's 300-year-old appeal. Its music, its gorgeous costuming and its visual splendor are obviously part of its attraction. But so too is its showmanship. For while Kabuki makes great play of its technical and stage effects, it is first and foremost an actor's theatre, with a strong emphasis on display. It is also a theatre of diversion, not of ideas.

Its plots drawn largely, though not exclusively, from Noh and Bunraku are at their best fine and moving drama, at their worst fairytale nonsense. 'Renjishi. for example, is a simple TeleScope BARBARA HOOKS drama of a quality equal to anything in the world. And if you look at the ratings, Australian mini-series are points ahead of overseas mini-series." While not wishing to criticise his Canberra colleagues, Terry Norris fears decisions about television are being made in a vacuum, divorced from the day-to-day realities of an' industry that he also volunteers, has failed to lobby effectively on its own behalf. Come Sunday, the industry will be changing' its tune from run over us if you like, to run over us if you dare.

TEN'S 'Comedy Company' must be "chucking mentals" all over the place after the "rooly excellent" ratings 37 peak points for its Kylie (Mole) meets Kylie (Minogue) edition. Nine won the fourth week and the fifth ratings survey (its fourth for the year), with a 30.8 per cent share of the nighttime viewing audience, followed in the usual commercial running order by Ten with 28.8 and Seven with 28.4 Other top rating shows were "The Shiralee' (36 points), 'Hey, Hey' (35, its best ever figure) and Nine's News (35), 'Neighbors' and Ten's profoundly moving film 'Mask' (both 32). 'Beyond 2000' (28) and 'A Country Practice' (27) performed well for Seven. 'House Rules', the ABCs new drama, didn't exactly take the electorate by storm, but it won a few votes with 11 peak points; the pilot movie of Nine's new series 'Werewolf did a barely rabid 15; 'The True Believers' continued to have a doubting audience with seven points; 'Hinch' and 'Sale of the Century' see-sawed within points of each other; Clive Robertson dominated his slot; and 'Live at Five' continued its pattern of large losses and small gains in the face of ghouls and game shows. Turning the heat on the television industry By BARBARA HOOKS Celebrations (2, 8pm) A Perfect Spy (2, 8.30pm).

Page One (10, 830pm) Hot House (2, 9 People Utaemon: worried that the traditions but beautiful movement piece about a lion cub being put through his paces by a father lion. It is a stylised blend of mime and dance, performed with musical and vocal accompaniment by an onstage orchestra of 13. 'Sumidagawa', adapted from a Noh play of the same name and seen in that version recently in Melbourne in a performance by the Kanze Noh Theatre troupe is a tragic tale of a distraught mother in search of her kidnapped son. Her distress turns to anguish when she comes across a grave which turns out out to be that of the boy. One is an extrovert piece; the other internalised and full of pathos.

Together they provide an easy introduction to Kabuki. Today new Kabuki plays are being and new techniques of staging being adopted. Utaemon is all for that What worries him, however, is that the 7.00 Children' Programs. 10.0 School' Programs. Afternoon 12.00 EastEndera.

(R) (S) 1.00 Parental Guidance Recommended. 1.10 Quantum. (R) 1.40 For The Junior. 2.00 Deutsch Dlrekt 2J5 How We Used To Live 1936-1953. 2.45 Read All About It 3.00 Sesame Street 3.55 The Family Nee.

4.00 Play School. (S) 4.30 Kaboodle. (S) 4.55 Telebug. 5.00 Secret Valley. 5.30 Spartaku And The Sun Beneath The Sea.

(C) Evening 6.00 Inspector Gadget (R) 6.30 EaatEnders. BBC drama serial set in London. (S) 7.00 News, Sport, Weather. 7.30, The 7.30 Report 6.00 Celebrations: Mardi Graal ABC documentaries on the diverse aspects of celebration around Australia. Sydney's Gay Mardi Gras, seen from the point-of-view of a Canberra man who has just "come out," a lesbian feminist and, Dr Ralph Deacon from the Albion Street AIDS Clinic.

(PGR) 8.28 New Update. (Also at 9.33) 8.30 A Perfect Spy. Final of the BBC thriller series based on John Le Carre's novel. The clue which has eluded British Security for years comes to light as Magnus prepares to make his final gesture. With Peter Egan.

(PGR) (S) 9.35 Hot House People. Third of four documentaries looking at the idea of "hot housing" enhancing the mental and physical faculties of 'average people'. 10J0 The World Tonight 11.00 Jazzvisions: The Many Face Of Bird. The great 'Bird' Charlie Parker, father of bebop jazz, whose influence in the late forties and early fifties changed the course of jazz music in America. 12.00 Ctcee.

6.00 Connection. Friends. Cross. 12.00 Itch. married behaving his wife Tom (PGR) with film Quincy Partridge 4.30 Fortune.

6.00 drama 6.30 7.00 7.30 To comedy Audrey's her to horse Keith. 8.00 series. accept he Ronnie 8.30 drama the With 9.30 through said of (G) 10 JO Clive 11.30 With 12.00 Today. 3.00 SpysNp. OnedJn TV stars as follows: worth considering excellent www not to be missed TV AM.

7.30 Cartoon (R) 9.30 Fat Cat and 10.00 Bridge To (PGR) 11.00 Eleven AM. Afternoon FILM. The Seven Year 1955 comedy. A happily man starts thinking and like a bachelor while is away on holiday. Stars Ewell, Marilyn Monroe.

(R). Includes an interview Kathleen Turner from the Switching Channels. 2.30 M.E. (PGR) (R) 3.30 Family. 4.00 Wombat Lassie.

(C) 5.00 Wheel of 5.30 Pre Your Luck. Evening Home and Away. Australian serial. (G) (S) New, Sport, Weather. Hinch at Seven.

The Manor Born. British series. A repair bill for Rolls Royce causes revert to four-legged power. With Penelope (G)(R) Porridge. BBC comedy Fletcher refuses to parole as he still claims didn't kill his wife.

With Barker. (PGR) (R) Rafferty' Rules. Australian series. Violence touches lives of everyone in court John Wood. (PGR) Miracle Of Healing.

Contemporary case histories of so-called miracles of healing prayer. All cases are to defy the normal course events for those diseases. Newaworid Presented by Robertson. Brother. US sitcom.

The misadventure of three brothers. Robert WakJen. (AO) New Overnight including 00 Newaworid. (R) The Be. (AO) (R) 4.00 (AO) (R) 5.00 The Line.

(PGR) (R) 6.00 am Early Morning News. 6.30 Business Today. 7.00 Today. 9.00 Here's Humphrey. (R) 10.00 Dtff rent Stroke.

(G) (R) 10.30 General Hospital. (PGR) 11.30 New. Afternoon 12.00 The Midday Show with Ray Martin. (PGR) 1.30 Days of Our Lives. (PGR) 30 The Young and The Restless.

(PGR) 3 JO Maude. (PGR) 4.00 C'Mon Kid. 5.00 Live At 5. 5.58 Keno. Evening 6.00 New, Sport, Weather.

6 JO A Current Affair. 7.00 Sale of The Century. (S) 7 JO Trie Flying Doctors. Australian drama series. Sam's sister arrives in Cooper's Crossing after completing her training to be a radiographer.

Mike Lancaster brings his two young daughters to visit the town. With Robert Grubb and Liz Buret). (PGR) (S) 8 JO Murder She Wrote. US series about an amateur sleuth. The Maitre D' of a restaurant that Jessica has invested in, is found dead in a freezer.

With Angela Lansbury. (PGR) 9.30 Jake And The Fat Man. US detective series. Jake and McCabe are kept guessing by an ex-cop turned author who would kill for a best seller and does. With William Conrad and Joe E.

Penny. (PGR) 10 JO Graham Kennedy' New Show. (PGR) 11 JO Soap. US satire on daytime drama. With Katherine Heimond, Bitty Crystal.

(AO) (R) 12.00 FILM. Twisted Nerve. 1968 suspense stars Haytey Mills, Hywei Bennett (AO) (R) 2.25 FILM. Hungry Htt. 1947 drama stars Margaret 4 J5 Shadow Chaser.

US adventure series. Two psychic investigators combat malevolent spirits. (PGR) 5 JO Sgt Preston Of The Yukon. AFTER observing "the Kilkenny dogfight over television station ownership and the squillions that changed Terry Norris says neither he nor the viewing public will wear it if the networks "cry poor" over the issue of Australian content "If they've got the money to buy them, they've got the money to program them." Terry Norris was getting into training yesterday for perhaps the most determined dogfight of them all: the revitalised, industry-backed TV Make It Australia campaign which, with the help of "a galaxy of he will relaunch this Sunday at the Hyatt As chairman of proceedings, Terry Norris also will be backed by such public and industry luminaries as David Williamson, Hector Crawford and Sir Rupert Hamer. As an actor and a politician, Terry Norris describes himself as "an At the same time, he does not believe it is overstating matters to say the situation has reached a crisis point prompted by changes of ownership, the technologies of cable and satellite, the Australian Broadcasting Tribunal's content inquiry, and a parliamentary review of the tribunal itself.

"We've reached a watershed, and unless we make our voices heard now we're going to be swamped," he said. "The Federal Government is making disconcerting noises. And deregulation has been mooted. We just have to mount a massive campaign to twist the arms of the decision-makers and to alert the public to what is likely to happen." The TV Make It Australia campaign wants the drama quota increased from 104 to 365 hours a year and more variety within it; the guaranteed independence of the tribunal; more children's drama; and more regional production. Terry Norris believes the aims are realistic and achievable.

"Despite the size of our population, our track record proves we can produce Afternoon 2.55 Bicentennial Diary. 3.00 TV Ed. 4.00 Ravioli. 4.30 Kaleido- scope. 5.00 Oshin.

5.30 Say Evening 6.00 The Noise. 6.30 World News. 7.00 Sport Report 7.30 A World Of Festivals. The Festival of Bohinj, a homecoming celebration for the cattle herders of an alpine village in Yugoslavia. 8.00 Rin.

Japanese drama serial. Rin and Yae keep a faithful vigil over Mr Matsunami. 8.30 The Movie Show. 9.00 Women In Jazz: From Bessie to Billie. British documentary series.

Tonight the jazz tradition from the black spiritual musk: of a New Orleans Gospel Choir to Billie Hoiliday. Includes archival footage of Bessie Smith, Helen Forest with the Artie Shaw band, Helen Humes with the Count Basie band, Peggy Lee, and Anita O'Day. 9 JO Tonight with Paul Murphy. 10.00 FILM. Iceblock Of Ink.

Greek comedy about a group of high school students. 11.30 Bicentennial Diary. 11.35 Close. State Bank libumg Aiuistralia Expo 5 SEPTEMBER 19 88 THE M0NDA today's young people through the EXPO'S NT TO guidance to demonstrations. lectures, exhibits, audio-visual presentations and practical and reports of continuing value not only to 'Age' readers but also to all visitors to the EXPO.

PUBLICATION DATE: Monday 5 September BOOKING DEADLINE: Wednesday 10 August For advertising inquiries or further information phone: Mary Lou Davis 601 2421 A SPECIAL SUPPLEME The STATE BANK YOUNG AUSTRALIA EXPO will be the largest youth oriented event of its type ever held in Australia. Its purpose is to provide interesting and relevant information to young people covering a wide range of career, job and lifestyle topics. The week-long EXPO is being held at Melbourne's Royal Exhibition Buildings (5-9 September) by FORUM ORGANIZATION. A wide range of companies, Government, service and corporate institutions will be offering information and THE OFFICIAL EXPO PROGRAM FROM THE AGE' Co F- On the first day of the exhibition, The Age' will publish a special full color liftout supplement that also will be the Official Program for the exhibition. The publication will incorporate important articles Helen Aberdeen 601 2840 State BankVVicoria 1.1 11 h' -V..