I will admit that I cannot stand Iggle-Piggle and In The Night Garden. And don't get me started on The Teletubbies.But over the summer, Rosie introduced me to two of her favourite CBeebies TV presenters - and I think she excellent taste.
Justin Fletcher - aka Mr Tumble - is brilliant. He engages the children, is a master of costume change,
a wizard at Makaton - and generally very gifted. He includes children of different ages and abilities in his show - and makes learning fun. Andy Day, presenter of Andy's Dinosaur Adventures is equally talented. Under his excellent tutelage, Rosie can now explain the differences between a triceratops and a pterodactyl. Our Dinosaur Day last summer certainly benefitted from some of his teaching materials.And these two- plus a number of other TV presenters and well-respected actors [like Annette Badlands -oldies like me know her from many radio and TV roles, lately the Pathologist in Midsomer] got together a couple of years back to produce a play. With the help of the Royal Shakespeare Company, they did The Tempest - for children.
The filming was beautifully done on stage in Huddersfield, with an invited audience of parents and pre-schoolers.
It is a truly magical show - in the heady pre-lockdown age of 2018, the sight of the children laughing, singing and clapping together is heartwarming. And the cast [plus stage sets and costumes] are superb.
Rosie's a bit young for Mr Morpurgo's Tales as yet - but this is certainly something to get a child turned on to the Bard from early years [well done Liz and Jon]
If you have an hour to spare, enjoy this production. After Rosie saw it, I made a point of watching it - a glorious romp, as good as any Christmas Panto. Link to the whole production is HERE - or you can just watch the songs
Ha, ha, I remember watching Teletubbies with my daughter!
ReplyDeleteI hadn't realised TT was shown in the USA
DeleteEldest Grandson announced when he was just 4 that he was going to be a paleontologist .....thanks to Andy!
ReplyDeleteThat's really brilliant - I know your family are already good at encouraging us to take note of historical stuff. There is much on children's TV now which is really educational and not mere entertainment.
DeleteI have been watching Mr Tumble with our two year old grandson and I think the same as you - he is very good at what he does and excellent with the children. Surprised to hear about the event in Huddersfield - I live here and had not heard about it!!
ReplyDeleteIt was 5 years ago - and to "an invited audience" so maybe it wasn't widely publicised.
DeleteWe must watch that! I believe, not long after my boys' days with Mr Tumble, that Justin was in the Honours List? We loved all his shows.
ReplyDeleteYou're right. He was awarded the MBE in 2008 "for services to children's broadcasting and the voluntary sector"
ReplyDeleteI also can't stand those 3 first named TV programmes. Glad there's something better!
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