Big step for N.Z. comedy

Press, 6 July 1977, Page 19

Big step for N.Z. comedy

By

R. T. BRITTENDEN

New Zealand television comedy took a long pace forward on Monday evening, with S.P.T.'s opening of “A Week Of It.” It was far from flawless, but it was often genuinely funny —and it was streets ahead of the embarrassingly selfconscious comedies of the past. A seven-week season of topic* l , satirical comedv is an ambitious project for a voung industry, and the jO. 10 p.m. time slot probably reflected South Pacific's mild attack of nerves about it. It need have few fears about the programme's future. A swift stream of sketches presented a diverting, kaleidoscopic impression of New’ Zealand, New

Zealanders, and their ways: the topical content was high, and telling. There were a few, a very few, lame moments, one or two sketches which did not quite come off. The principal disappointment was certainly not in the script, which sustained an excellent level, but in the inevitable comparisons between the principals and the supporting players. David McPhail—who also produced the show—has the facile face of a Dick Emery, and, with it, a fine sense of timing. Chris McVeigh simply invites one to share his sense of humour, at a glance; Annie Whittle’s impudence is enchanting. These three were extremely good, in whatever they did. But for full success, a send-up really requires a closer association with the subject in appearance, in

voice, or in both, than some of the others could provide. This was particularly noticeable in the Holyoake and Taiboys sketches. It would be unreasonable to expect to find players with the extraordinary gifts of mimicry enjoyed by, say, Rich Little: but in these segments, identification placards were just about needed. For all that, there was much to enjoy, and it was a measure of the show’s success that its 30 minutes simply fled. There were many highlights. Among them was “Life With the Loins,” in which McVeigh and McPhail appeared as somewhat punch • drunk footballers to be interviewed about a rugby match, with film clips, action re-plays, and all. Their vagueness, their whole-hearted agreements

were very close to home. The Nana Mouskouri piece by Annie Whittle was splendid, and so was the Richard Nixon-David Frost duet. There is an abundance of talent in this show, which provides the muchneeded therapy for New Zealanders of inviting

them to laugh at themselves. The little tail-piece— McPhail as Robert Muldoon in the George Washington tree-felling story—was magnificent, and with it went an unspoken but warm invitation to watch “A Week Of It” again. It will not be ignored.