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"WAITERS"
reviewed by Chris Hamblin
The first TV programme of this new locally produced series (5/12/00), showed
up some of the delights in translating a successful stageplay into a new medium,
it also raised a whole lot problems to be faced.
Produced by Creative Native (excellent funny cartoon logo!) it was scripted
by Stephen Chifunyise and directed by Roy Barber for ZTV. "Waiters"
stars actors, Bart Wolffe, Walter Mparutsa, Dylan Wilson Max, as three 'Waiters'
from different cultures, about to open their own restaurant in Zimbabwe, with
Jason Mpheplo as a newly recruited Mozambiquan cook, plus his goat 'Donato'
and Sally (sorry didn't get her name) as the cashier, a guest appearance as
the Health Inspector by Ali Jasset and theme music by Oliver Mutukudzi.
What has always been enjoyable about theatrical versions of "Waiters",
are the qualities of sheer physicality, speed of pacing, spontaneity, improvised
asides, topical quips, a sense of real face to face racial conflict and dramatic
confrontation. Though the plays have been script-based, they have appeared
as if a product of improvised "theatre sport", with highly acceptable
rough edges as a consequence.
This production for ZTV does have a good acting team, and promises great potential
if production problems can be overcome. Some rough editing gave it a laboured
literal quality at times. To reinforce the build up of humorous moments camera
shots need very careful planning, to allow the nitty-gritty humour to come
across effectively. This is a particularly difficult thing to achieve possibly
a question of how much to leave out in the cutting room. More close up, close
in, full-face shots would help.
Actors were often speaking in profile across camera in middle distance, so
lip reading clues were lost and lines delivered as stage asides were quite
difficult to catch. We do get a diet of fast paced US Sit-Coms that have all
of this type production down to a fine art. I can't say I'm much of a fan
of the US genre but I can appreciate the filmmaker's craft. If cliché
is to be used, use it effectively and go the whole hog! As Terry Pratchett
put it somewhere in a Disc World Novel "clichés are the nuts &
bolts in the great tool box of communication.
Canned laughter, I take it it was canned?...
Could it sound more local? (ZTV production team failed to edit out the nearly
subliminal 'place advert here' announcement, local shows need a logo to distinguish
them from the Adverts. This programme ran seamlessly into a slow paced literal
ad for some bathroom product that just might have been produced by the same
team!)
The scripting had all the elements of fun, but came across as a bit slow &
pedantic at times. However, it opened up loads of scope for humour about inter-racial
issues. This first instalment was dominated by how & why the cook is going
to keep his extremely smelly 'pet goat', Donato, at the restaurant leading
on to confusions about body odour and restaurant cleanliness. (A close up
of the goat, face and fur could have anchored some sympathy with the cook's
viewpoint). When they open in a few days time, should they serve the goat,
the rats (or are they mice?) to the customers as a tasty local dish? Who should
make up the menu given that the cook is from Mozambique and each waiter is
from different cultural backgrounds?
With the arrival of Health Inspector, Dr Patel, to inspect the property the
humour is pulled up smartly against a straight, solid and thoroughly believable
character. Each actor taking turns to ooze with charm and make a variety of
ludicrous offers of insinuated bribery, but ending in the somewhat simplistic
solution that Sally the Cashier will win over the doctor by going 'out to
lunch' with him. A programme in a kind of 'comic book cartoon strip mode'
at present, I look forward to seeing it develop.
Let's face it, this production is wholly in line with the current government
legislation designed to encourage 75% locally made programmes. Given that
"Waiters" succeeded brilliantly as live theatre, it is clear that
a lot more money needs to be invested to really upgrade the quality of local
TV productions. If not we shall remain having little alternative, but to turn
off the TV, get on our newly acquired bicycles to go out and 'pay' to see
Bart & Co doing excellent live theatre! Afterwards we can have a beer
to celebrate their skills and our enjoyment. AEL is of course wholly in support
of this as it recognises that audiences are the bread and butter of professional
entertainment.
By Chris Hamblin
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