Monday was voices for everyone

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33654, 2 October 1974, Page 4

Monday was voices for everyone

Radio for music; television for voices. No evening’s viewing more than Monday’s could have illustrated better the proposition that television is for voices. There was not a note I beyond themes and mood to : vary the pace, but this much jean be said: it was a very igood night for voices. i The balance was good, too — two comedy pieces, one j turgid drama, one wry j (local) drama, an unusually i polished interview, and a (local) documentary ; drama. On top of this there was a i remarkable sequence on “The South Tonight” of i stills of almost 65 years ago i from Antarctica with voiceiover by Shackleton himself 'taken off a cylinder record-1 'ing. Admittedly Shackleton’s tones would not be confused with stereo reproduction (he sounded as though he were broadcasting from the depths of an extremely large ■ ice cave) but his clarity through all the hollowness : was astonishing. * sis s|t Bob Newhart and his lady ; set out with the intention of i buying a house, and the production was — in a real sense — too close to home. This series is so expertly scripted and acted that viewers are always in the danger of imagining that the series -has been deliberately built round their own experiences. Bob Newhart has been a funny man for so long that he seems to have grown just like himself, and no longer even has to act. How decep- i tive. Those viewers who can remember back to the days ; of radio will forever love ' Newhart for his driving-in- i structor piece as the man']

■ iwho tried to teach Mrs West to drive a car. * A comic as good as that lican do no wrong, and he has ■ j been proving it now for two bdecades. # * * Viewers brought up on “Country Calendar” will have noted with outrage the treatment given to the hap- ‘ less cattle buyer in “The > Borderers.” It has taken four i centuries and 12,000-odd ' miles for buyers to be treated with deference and > affection by farmers, and i not before time (and distance). “The Borderers” has developed into a good yarn with quite a few points of reference to link local country folk with the hard life ofj their forbears. Mob scenes, with much tangled yelling and waving of arms, are hardly ever interesting viewing, howlever, and the descent to this on Monday detracted from' rather than enhanced the! tension. sk >1: Ss The “Spotlight” series has finished. The final episode on Monday was as good as any, encompassing the faults and successes which have been with this production throughout. Viewers had long made up their minds which of the acting team they liked. This particular play, by Sue McCauley, made its point neatly enough; but again the offering was what had become something of an obsession with the series — a play within a play. This script made enormous demands on Lee Grant and John Sumner in switch of mood and, by and large, they failed to come up to these demands — a not surprising failure. “Nationwide,” through lan Fraser, did an excellent piece with the Shah of Per- i sia. The interviewer struck 1 the right note and, for his - part, the Shah displayed a

complimentary familiarity with English. The screening was professional, informative and interesting. — D.M.

CHTV3 2.00 p.m,: News, weather (C). 2.05: What’s a Nice Girl Like You . . . ? Drama. 3.21: At Home with Lord Cobham. Documentary (C) (Repeat). 3.50: What’s My Line? Panel game. 4.15: Musical Gem. 4.24: Lassie. Adventure (C). 4.49: Clutch Cargo. 4.59: Scribbles (C). 5.24: The Daily Fable (C). 5.34: The Flintstones. Cartoon (C) (Repeat). 6.03: Concentratoon. Panel game. 6.33: Sporting Life (C). 7.00: Network news. 7.22: Weather, The South Tonight. 7.47: Dad’s Army. Comedy (C). 8.24: Cannon. Drama (C). 9.21: Newsbrief (C). 9.23: Inquiry. Current affairs (C). 9.57: Doctor In Charge. Comedy (C). 10.25: Pot Black. Snooker (C). 10.53: News, weather (C).

NATIONAL LINK [lncluding 3YA Christchurch (690 kilohertz); 2YA Wellington (570 kilohertz); 4YA Dunedin (750 kilohertz); and 3YZ Greymouth (950 kilohertz.J 7 p.m.: Sports News. 7.30 : Double Bill— A Privati I Collection; Hello, Goodbyi land Never Mind. 8.30 (Weather and News, Check 'point. 9.0: The Maori Pro 'gramme. 9.30: Gil Dech: / I Personal Remembrance 110.30: News, Comment (Weather. 10.45: Adventure ii iNew Zealand. 11.0: 8.8. C News, Commentary. 11.15 Continuous. 3YC, CHRISTCHURCH (960 kilohertz) 7 p.m.: Philadelphia Or chestra Inaugural Concert 7.51: From the Festivals. 9.0

Insight '74. 9.30: Biblical Sonatas. 9.52: English Music of the Late Renaissance for Brass. 10.0: Rameau. 10.14: Beethoven. 3ZB, CHRISTCHURCH (1100 kilohertz) J 7.30 p.m.: John Reid. 8.2: - The History of Country ': Music. 9.5: Easy Listening. 3ZM, CHRISTCHURCH (1400 kilohertz) ! 4 p.m.: The N.C.R. File, j 8.0: Peter Sledmere. i 3XA, RADIO AVON (1290 kilohertz) ; | News on the half hour 6 a.m. to 9 a.m., and hourly 'thereafter. 5.30 a.m.: Wayne ! Douglas with Breakfast 'C1ub..9.0: Jon Campbell and -I morning music. 12 noon: .IMike Richardson and after:inoon music.