ABC2's blog

7:00pm – Sunday, March 14 on ABC2

This week Art Nation features the largest public art event in Margaret River, the Cow Parade. Namila Benson looks at an important exhibition, the art of Omie, which features barkcloths created exclusively by the Omie women. And Art Nation follows six groups of dancers as they perform in a Body Electric dance off, a philosophy of dance that embraces people’s desire and passion to move and express themselves.

Cow Parade The largest public art event in the world is coming to Margaret River in Western Australia. It’s been staged in over 50 cities around the world and next year, for the very first time these fibreglass cows will be located in a rural setting. The likes of Vivienne Westwood, Radiohead and David Lynch have made their own cows in this international exhibition. Now the baton is being passed to Australian artists and 100 of our best have been asked to transform life-sized fibreglass cows into works of art.

The art of Omie Looks at the tradition of barkcloths (noige) which is a craft practised exclusively by the Omie women. The barkcloths are created from the inner bark of the paper mulberry tree which has been softened into thin sheets by beating.

Body Electric An all encompassing philosophy of dance that captivates, shares and embraces people’s desire and passion to move and express themselves. Based in Melbourne, this diverse group of dancers consists of architects, actors, jewellery designers, entomologists through to filmmakers, teachers and landscape gardeners. http://abc.net.au/iview/

7:00pm – Sunday, March 14 on ABC2

This week Art Nation features the largest public art event in Margaret River, the Cow Parade. Namila Benson looks at an important exhibition, the art of Omie, which features barkcloths created exclusively by the Omie women. And Art Nation follows six groups of dancers as they perform in a Body Electric dance off, a philosophy of dance that embraces people’s desire and passion to move and express themselves.

Cow Parade The largest public art event in the world is coming to Margaret River in Western Australia. It’s been staged in over 50 cities around the world and next year, for the very first time these fibreglass cows will be located in a rural setting. The likes of Vivienne Westwood, Radiohead and David Lynch have made their own cows in this international exhibition. Now the baton is being passed to Australian artists and 100 of our best have been asked to transform life-sized fibreglass cows into works of art.

The art of Omie Looks at the tradition of barkcloths (noige) which is a craft practised exclusively by the Omie women. The barkcloths are created from the inner bark of the paper mulberry tree which has been softened into thin sheets by beating.

Body Electric An all encompassing philosophy of dance that captivates, shares and embraces people’s desire and passion to move and express themselves. Based in Melbourne, this diverse group of dancers consists of architects, actors, jewellery designers, entomologists through to filmmakers, teachers and landscape gardeners. http://abc.net.au/iview/

8:30pm – Saturday, March 13 on ABC2

David Stratton hosts Bliss: The Director’s Cut – the acclaimed movie based on Peter Carey’s award-winning novel, Bliss, and the debut film of celebrated director Ray Lawrence (Lantana, Jindabyne). Stratton speaks exclusively to Lawrence about Bliss, which in 1985 won three AFI Awards, including Best Film, Best Director and Best Screenplay.

Following a four-minute death from a heart attack, Harry Joy (Barry Otto) returns to life finding the certainties of his former existence have entirely vanished.

The world he previously knew, which saw him drifting amiably through life as a successful advertising executive, has become a literal living Hell. His wife Bettina (Lynette Curran) is in a sordid affair with Harry’s business partner (Jeff Truman) and his teenage son (Miles Buchanan) engages in an incestuous relationship with his sister (Gia Carides) – exchanging drugs for sex with her… All around him people are dying of cancer and Harry’s advertising agency has taken to promoting carcinogenic products.

Harry is convinced he actually is living in Hell and befriends an angel in the form of ex-prostitute Honey Barbara (Helen Jones) to return him to happiness.

Throughout March the ABC is indulging in a total Bliss-a-thon… It was a book, it was a movie, now it’s Bliss the opera. Get on board the Bliss ecstasy train, which climaxes with the live broadcast, ABC2 Live Presents Bliss.

On ABC1 on March 9 at 10:05pm, Jennifer Byrne and a panel of experts explored the adaptation of Bliss the book to Bliss the film with Jennifer Byrne Presents Books to Film (repeated on ABC2 on Sunday 14 March at 6.30pm).

On March 16 at 10:05pm on ABC1, Artscape: Making Opera Bliss, captures the intense excitement and pressure as Opera Australia prepares to debut its world premiere opera (repeated on ABC2 Sunday 21st March at 6.30pm). To see exclusive footage from this Artscape documentary visit the Arts Gateway at www.abc.net.au/arts On March 17 on ABC2 at 8.30pm (AEDT) watch ABC2 Live Presents Bliss – a live performance of Opera Australia’s new production as it is transmitted live from Sydney Opera House. The performance will also be beamed into cinemas around Australia.

6:30pm – Saturday, March 13 on ABC2

Alice (Dawn Steele) and Danny (Stephen Tompkinson) are called out by a farmer who’s trapped an African wild dog. As they’re even more endangered than cheetahs and much more vicious, Danny and Alice are amazed to see one up close. Alice finds out for herself just how dangerous they are when the wild dog nearly takes a bite out of her arm.

Du Plessis (Deon Stewardson) has a surprise for Charlotte (Megan Martell) – he’s bought her a Dalmatian named Domino. Alice is touched and it’s clear she’s starting to feel like part of the family. Rosie (Lucy Jo Hudson) and Max (Martinus Van der Berg) have returned from their honeymoon but the atmosphere between them is tense. Du Plessis becomes concerned when he finds Max drinking in the bar, so he ropes him in to help install a new generator.

Danny calls on a wild dog expert to help them locate the pack. When the expert, Terry, arrives, everyone is surprised to discover that he’s Alice’s ex. Danny instructs the nosy family to give Alice some space but is intrigued to hear that Alice left Terry because he couldn’t commit.

Alice is awkward about seeing Terry again but he explains that he misses her and has even taken a desk job in Namibia because he wants them to be a proper family. It’s clear he’s offering the confused Alice everything she’s ever wanted but he won’t wait forever for an answer. How will Danny feel if she goes..?

9:45pm – Friday, March 12 on ABC2

“So, you’re back then”…

At the age of 17, Gaynor Jacks (Emma Fryer) ran away from her hometown of Coventry to find her place in the big wide world. But now, aged 29, she is back with her tail between her legs.

She returns to her mum and dad’s place and her time-capsule teenage bedroom, resplendent with pop culture artefacts from 1997 including a peeling Trainspotting poster, with Wonderwall still paused on the CD player.

Soon she’ll have to face her three best friends en masse, manipulative Mel (Hayley Jayne Standing), angry Becky (Kerry Godliman) and club-weary Kelly (Rebekah Staton).

Gaynor can’t hide forever in her bedroom, she must crawl back to her old life, suffer the gleeful sympathy of her friends and ill-judged parental intrusions … all played out in front of old flames and adversaries Gaynor never thought she’d see again.

The soundtrack is pure 1997 Britpop featuring the likes of Oasis and Pulp.

http://abc.net.au/iview/

9:15pm – Friday, March 12 on ABC2

Love Soup takes an entertaining and provocative look at romance and relationships in the 21st century: quirkily absurd, often bizarre – always unpredictable.

Is it possible that somewhere out there a perfect partner exists for each of us? If there is an answer, it is sadly lost on Alice Chenery (Tamsin Greig).

Following on from Series One, Alice is still unattached and undaunted as she continues to navigate the treacherous waters of Love, in a world where sense and sensitivity seem to have become largely unfashionable. Alice has more to worry about than the amorous intentions of her driving instructor. Her predatory and possibly lesbian regional manager, Catherine Sumpter, is in town and has summoned her to a mysterious meeting in her hotel room, where a distinctly potent threat of sexual harassment is in the air.

Meanwhile, Cleo is adapting restaurant reviews from the internet to rate her latest boyfriend’s performance in bed, but the tables are turned on her when she discovers Dave has been writing disparaging daily reports of their nightly activities in his journal. As she struggles to cope with his scathing comments about her performance in bed, Milly finds she is strangely turned on by a man’s shadow that appears outside the window of her basement flat every night at the same time.

During her seventh attempt at passing her driving test, Alice is hijacked by an armed robber who inadvertently helps her to pass.

10:00pm – Thursday, March 11 on ABC2

In episode three of series six of the hilarious, multi award-winning, Peep Show, Jeremy realises that he’s in love with Russian émigré Elena, and decides to be generally less selfish to win her affection.

He also thinks it might be a good idea to tell her he loves her, but Mark isn’t so sure.

With Dobby’s help, Mark goes after the ‘job of his dreams’ and faces the prospect of earning a living while doing something he enjoys. “I can do something interesting after years of horrific dullness. Like Sister Wendy,” he says.

However, an unselfish act inadvertently puts paid to both Mark and Jeremy’s plans.

http://abc.net.au/iview/

9:30pm – Thursday, March 11 on ABC2

Gavin and Stacey prepare to tell everyone about their engagement. Gavin’s parents, Pamela and Mick, are delighted. Stacey’s family have some very big concerns and Smithy, Gavin’s best mate, refuses to talk to him.

However, when Gavin’s parents, the Shipmans, invite the Wests to Billericay for an engagement party, nothing will get in the way of the celebrations or Stacey’s Uncle Bryn’s temptation to use his satnav for the long journey.

When conversation turns to money, Gavin and Stacey drop a bombshell on their unsuspecting friends and family.

http://abc.net.au/iview/

9:30pm – Wednesday, March 10 on ABC2

Sex: The Revolution, a four-part documentary series, explores a time in American history that challenged centuries of traditional morality about sex. This revolution eradicated people’s fear, loathing and ignorance about sex; promoted unprecedented sexual honesty and expression; and made laws which would end censorship and legal retribution for people’s private sexual behaviour. Sex: The Revolution is the story of the visionaries, movements and fanatics who created the sexual revolution, and the story of the opponents who feared and condemned it and launched a counter-revolution.

In episode two, The Big Bang, the new liberated sexuality spreads like wildfire to the blossoming counterculture. Slogans emerge, but no catchphrase better expresses the consciousness of the time than Make Love, Not War. At the same time, the sexual revolution is going middle class and mainstream. On Broadway, live shows like Hair revel in nudity. Suddenly topless bars and risqué advertisements are commonplace, and the age-old Hollywood production code (where married couples were only shown in separate twin beds) is broken down. By the time Dustin Hoffman figures out that Mrs Robinson is seducing him, American cinema will never be the same.

Sex therapy is the new vogue and ‘swinging’ becomes a suburban phenomenon. Perhaps the image that best represents this brave new sexual world is Jane Fonda as Barbarella. Welcome to the Age of Orgasm! On the other side, a counter-reaction is already gathering, headed by Richard Nixon. But in reality there is little Nixon, or anyone else, can do. As half a million people flock to the grounds of Woodstock in barely any clothes, it’s clear to see that the sexual revolution is now entering its zenith.

http://abc.net.au/iview/

8:30pm – Wednesday, March 10 on ABC2

Underdog is the ultimate boy and a dog story.

Newton Marshall, a 25-year-old Jamaican from the wrong side of the tracks, is taking on the toughest dog sled race in the world – The Yukon Quest.

It’s 1,000 miles (1600 km) of the most challenging terrain imaginable, from Whitehorse, Yukon to Fairbanks, Alaska.

This one-hour film captures the life and death, mental and physical struggles, as Newton works through the preparation for, and the reality of, the 1,000 miles of terrain he has to cover. The trail was set up during the Klondike goldrush as a mail and shipping route for those daring enough to stake their claim and seek their fortune.

Explorers have always taken on the most dangerous adventures to escape their past and ensure their futures. Newton is no different…well, he’s a little different…

Behind the sunny disposition and the ever ready smile Newton displays he has something to prove to a lot of people. To his granny in Kingston who raised him, to his benefactor Danny Melville, who is like his father, and more than anything to himself.

Behind Newton’s run is his trainer Hans Gatt, a three-time winner of the Quest. Gatt is a tough no-nonsense Austrian who pushes Newton hard.

He knows that the skill of the race is in dealing with the wolves, ice breaks and fierce storms that have disoriented and finished many a musher. But above all winning the race is in the head and the heart.

It took two years of twists and turns to get to the start line and the Quest will push this true underdog and his team across four mountain ranges and through Mother Nature’s worst mood swings.

http://abc.net.au/iview/