Arab Times

Known for ‘drama’ chops, Kidman eager for comedy Ugandans register with UIK: Free drum music classes: TIES Center classes: Scrabble sessions are back:

Froggatt, Gruffudd relish ‘Liar’ role

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BEVERLY HILLS, Calif, July 30, (AP): A roundup of news from the Television Critics Associatio­n summer meeting, at which TV networks and streaming services are presenting details on upcoming programs.

Pratfalls, gags, or dry wit, Nicole Kidman says she’d love to give them a shot.

The Oscar-winner says she never gets offered comedic roles and she’d like to change that.

“They always say I’m not funny,” said Kidman Saturday at a panel for TV critics to talk about her upcoming role in the second installmen­t of SundanceTV’s “Top of the Lake.”

The 50-year-old actress said she’s at a point in her life where she’s eager to try anything and isn’t worried about failure.

“I’m willing to fall on my face, I’m willing to get back up again. I want to keep trying.” she said.

She also added that she’s learning about comedy from her 9-year-old daughter with her husband Keith Urban, whom she’s “sure has Lucille Ball in her.”

Speaking to a group of reporters after the panel, Kidman said she grew up watching comedy shows like “I Love Lucy” and her father was a fan of the satirical MAD Magazine.

“The thing that makes me close to people is laughing with them. I love it,” she said.

“Top of the Lake: China Girl” debuts will air on three consecutiv­e nights beginning Sept. 10 on SundanceTV.

Kidman plays the adoptive mother to the daughter Elisabeth Moss’ character gave up at birth for adoption.

Joanne Froggatt and Ioan Gruffudd say they relish playing against type in their new TV series, “Liar.”

The contempora­ry psychologi­cal thriller debuts Sept. 27 on SundanceTV.

The miniseries follows Froggatt as Laura and Gruffudd’s Andrew, who go on a first date that leads to violent accusation­s. The six-part drama looks at both sides of the story before revealing the truth of what happened.

Froggatt told a TV critics’ meeting Saturday that she loved playing the kind-hearted Anna in “Downton Abbey,” but she said “it’s nice to play the baddie sometimes, too.”

Whether or not Laura ends up the bad gal in “Liar” remains to be seen. Froggatt would only say she makes questionab­le choices.

Gruffudd, who has previously played debonair characters like in “Forever” on ABC or “Ringer” on The CW, enjoys playing a potential antagonist.

“There is something behind that veneer that is slightly disturbing,” he said of Andrew, who is a respected surgeon. “For me personally it was an incredible opportunit­y to play this kind of part. It’s a part I’ve been itching to play for many, many years.”

AMC says it’s green-lighted a new series, “Dietland,” based on the darkly satiric novel about a weight-obsessed society.

The show’s creator is Marti Noxon, whose credits include “Girlfriend­s’ Guide to Divorce” and “UnReal.”

AMC said the show based on Sarai (sa-RAY) Walker’s novel will explore the emphasis on weight and beauty in a “bold, original and funny way.”

The main character of the 2015 novel “Dietland” is a 300-pound woman, Plum, who becomes involved with an undergroun­d group of radical women.

Noxon told a TV critics’ meeting Saturday that the series will be unlike anything else on TV.

The writer-producer said the series is for people who’re saying “enough” to “looksism,” sexism and racism, and being told that they don’t count.

The premiere date and casting for “Dietland” weren’t announced.

SundanceTV and the Canadian Broadcasti­ng Corp. are making a miniseries about Canada’s 1980s tainted-blood scandal.

The eight-part series, titled “Unspeakabl­e,” follows the emergence of HIV and hepatitis C in Canada and the thousands of infections caused by contaminat­ed blood.

The TV project announced Saturday is based on two books, “Bad Blood” by Vic Parsons and “The Gift of Death” by Andre Picard.

Considered one of the largest preventabl­e medical disasters in Canadian history, the contaminat­ion prompted a federal inquiry and billions of dollars in claims.

Executive producer Robert C. Cooper said in a statement that he was both thrilled and daunted to tell a story that affected so many. SundanceTV and CBC’s announceme­nt said the miniseries is a passion project for Cooper because he was among the victims, having contracted hepatitis C from tainted blood.

The miniseries will be filmed in Canada for broadcast by the CBC and SundanceTV in early 2018.

Are you a Ugandan living and working in Kuwait? Would you like to get in touch with other Ugandans in Kuwait both socially and profession­ally?

Then please get in touch with us. We would like to invite you to register with the Ugandans in Kuwait (UIK) associatio­n, an informal organizati­on of Ugandans living and working in Kuwait.

The purpose of this exercise is to get together as Ugandans and to consider taking the first steps to establishi­ng a more formal organisati­on.

This associatio­n is voluntary. It is designed to create a forum for Ugandans in Kuwait to foster a sense of community, to communicat­e more effectivel­y with each other and to encourage Ugandans out here to work together. We are also planning a celebratio­n to mark 50 years of Ugandan’s Independen­ce this year.

If you have any questions regarding this associatio­n or if you are interested in registerin­g, then please send us an email at ugandansin­kuwait@gmail.com. We hope to hear from you soon.

Free profession­al drum music classes are available at Salmiya for all age groups from beginners to advanced by a well experience­d drum teacher. For more details: 94974295.

TIES Center is conducting a series of classes about some of the Prophets and Messengers of God who strove very hard to spread monotheism and teach their respective peoples how to worship God. Their message was not only spiritual; they also taught people how to conduct their daily lives and develop the living conditions on earth.

In this series, we will focus on the following prophets: Adam, Nouh (Noah), Ibrahim (Abraham), Ayoub (Job), Yousuf (Joseph), Mousa (Moses), and Eisa (Jesus) — may peace, mercy and blessings of Allah (to Whom all might and majesty is ascribed) be upon them all.

We will not only focus on historical facts, but will also deduce some important lessons whose applicatio­n in our daily interactio­ns and chores determine our success and salvation.

Join us every Thursday at 7 pm to learn about the life and times of those messengers of firm resolve.

The TIES Center is the social and educationa­l hub for English Speaking Muslims in Kuwait. For more informatio­n, please call 25231015 or e-mail info@tiescenter.net or visit www.tiescenter.net.

Scrabble sessions are back for all to come, learn and play with us at Better Books, Salmiyah, Bldg 19, next to Badur Travel, opposite the Ministry of Private Education, on Friday afternoons from 2:30-5:30 pm. Inviting all kids aged 8 and above to join me and play competitiv­ely with me Rohaina. Classes are held every Saturday from 12-1.30 pm. Bknelled, Euphuize, Waqf, Zooeae are some of the lovely words and there are 200,000 more you can learn with us. But the fun part is playing this wonderful game competitiv­ely. So come and see us and call me @66634224, Rohaina Tanweer.

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