Drama 1970

From the New Zealand Listener 1970.

The beginnings of New Zealand television drama have almost been forgotten since the tentative early days when a play might be recorded, then never screened. But it has grown in confidence and scope. At the end of last year, developments indicated the firmly entrenched place it now has in local production

Green Gin Sunset and The Alpha Plan, - late to win three Feltex Awards, were brought to TV screens. Bill Austin, formerly the NZBC’s head of sound productions, had his job extended to cover all drama— radio and TV. Shortly afterwards producer Douglas Drury was appointed to another new position, Executive Producer, TV Drama

There has been no spectacular growth, rather a gradual building on the efforts of producers during the Sixties. But TV drama has now gained a substantial framework of organisation; it is slightly hazy about where it all began, but definitely knows where it is going. Plans have already been made for three years ahead.

This year's drama includes four single plays now in varying stages of production The Genuine Plastic Marriage by Julian Dickon and The Killing of Kane by Warren Dibble are almost finished.

David Stevens, producer of Marriage, calls it an analysis of suburban wedlock, an examination of how a couple react to each other. He says it is a difficult play... technically one of the most complicated we've done. With only two characters performing for about an hour, it still manages to cover a lot of ground.

Three sets at the most can be wedged into a studio; The Genuine Plastic Marriage called for many. The production crew and actors Eric Wood and Glenis Levestam worked in the studio for the equivalent of six days. Then came the technical task of what David Stevens calls a large amount of sophisticated video-tape editing The result will be screened in late June and early July.

During the land wars of last century the Hauhau chief Titokowaru developed a successful guerilla campaign in south Taranaki. The Killing of Kane is based on his attack on the Turaturamokai redoubt at Hawera on July 16, 1868, when Captain Ross and half the garrison of 20 were killed. The cast and crew worked at Hawera, where bulldozers were used to recreate the redoubt only 50 yards from the original site. Titokowaru is played by Naapi Waaka, and Taranaki Maoris appear as members of his tribe.

The Killing of Kane was shot on film, in colour-the biggest "on location" TV drama production attempted so far. Producer Chris Thomson sees the use of colour as further valuable experience for local producers. Location filming itself is an education: We found that if the weather's fine you keep on going till you drop.

Chris Thomson will also produce Ian Cross's The City of No which could well be sub-titled "The Frustrations of a Middle-aged Male". This will be the last of the four to be completed: filming has not yet begun. Although its setting is definitely in contemporary New Zealand, the problems it explores are universal

Flowers and Coffins by Alexander Guyan, being produced in Auckland by Douglas Drury, relies for its impact on character development and the building-up of tension and atmosphere. Miss James is a sour librarian, a bit of a martinet. She thinks books are dead—she calls them coffins. Death lurks in her drawer. Behind her back they call her "the undertaker". Even the habitués of her library are old men waiting out their last days. The play is a psychological study of this central character, played by Wellington actress Jeanette Lewis.

Besides these four "singles" the NZBC has commissioned Julian Dickon to write a series of six 50-minutes episodes for production later in the year which presents New Zealanders in a local setting. But not self-consciously. TV drama is a growing thing, and those responsible for mapping out its future want to let it develop its own personality.

The series, in which each episode is a complete unit but the characters and setting are the same, brings the total productions for 1970 to ten- two more than last year. For next year six authors have been commissioned to write single plays, and plans are under way for further productions.

Drama producers are more interested at this stage in consolidating. To broaden experience in all involved, from writers and actors to technical staff, experimentation is necessary.

Growth will be steady. For one thing, facilities are limited. The City of No is to be filmed rather than shot on videotape because studios are over-committed.

This year’s plays are part of a developing plan, not a spectacular new departure. Chris Thomson says: TV drama can go anywhere. The only danger is that it will be too tame...or try to imitate the BBC. He thinks that too much New Zealand theatre is dominated by people with British repertory experience: It just won't work here.

Producers emphasise that comparisons made between local and overseas productions should also include comparison of population and length oF tradition. Britain, for instance. has centuries of acting tradition, longer experience in television and a pool of about 10,000 actors, at least half of them highly competent.

New Zealand has some good actors, but David Stevens estimates there would be only about 40 able to survive professionally overseas. The problem with this small pool of acting talent ts overexposure, If you use an actor often the public tend to identify him with the last play he was seen in/David says.

Alan Jervis, seen as an Irish Officer in Green Gin Sunset, appears as Charles Kane in The Killing of Kane. In the same play Peter Vere-Jones (seen in The Alpha Plan) is Kimble Bent, and Tony Groser appears as Colonel Macdonald. They are amongst the most competent local actors in TV. David Stevens has high praise for the acting of Glenis Levestan and Eric Wood in the Genuine Plastic Marriage.

Another limiting factor in TV drama here and its basic requirement at present is writers. Bill Austin says that by more commissioning, the NZBC hopes to develop writers who can handle TV with confidence. David Stevens believes the prime need is for young writers who se drama as an art in itself-a thing of excitement and imagination, not a literary exercise.

But now Alexander Guyan is in Scotland and Warren Dibble is also overseas. The NZBC, in spite of more commissioning will rely on submitted plays to keep a channel open for younger writers. Drama producers are aware of the special contribution young people have to make.

The greatest hope for our drama is enthusiasm... I have faith in young New Zealanders." says David Stevens.

I would like to see 19-year-olds tearing out with cameras. says Chris Thomson. TV drama needs writers and actors and technicians more than directors.

These producers, young themselves, see a danger of local home grown drama becoming boring conservative and pretentious. But with the decision of Bill Austin and his team to take development steadily, improvement in quality has every chance of being maintained.

If Shakespeare were alive today he'd probably write for television The play's the thing...come, give us a taste of your quality. (Hamlet.)