The Secret Life Of Geisha
Pearl, 10.30pm
You've read Arthur Golden's best-selling Memoirs Of A Geisha, now watch this BBC documentary. Produced by Anthony Geffen and Clive Maltby, and narrated by Oscar-winning actress Susan Sarandon, the hour-long programme 'unravels the extraordinary history of the geisha' from their origins as men in the 17th century, through their heyday in the 1930s, right up to the clash of this delicate and fragile culture with the sexually orientated, techno-crazy modern-day Japan. Unattainable to all but the wealthy and powerful, geisha companionship has long represented the ultimate expression of prestige for Japanese men.
The production team used photographs and diaries to piece together some of history's most tragic love affairs, such as the story of Townsend Harris, the American who opened Japan to the West. He fell for a 15-year-old geisha but the liaison ultimately ended in her suicide. Also, through personal stories from individuals, including Lisa Dalby, the only Westerner to enter the profession, and notorious geisha-turned-popster Hana Chan, the documentary goes behind the women's public mask of dignity. Made over two years, shot on location in the geisha districts of Kyoto, Tokyo and the resorts of Shimoda and Atami, the programme reveals the jokes, the friendships, the dedication and the years of training that lie behind a geisha's elegant facade.
For those who have yet to read the book, Golden is the key interviewee in this production and there will, no doubt, be references to his novel, to be made into a film by a Hollywood studio.
Giants With Nigel Marven
Pearl, 9pm
