Toonhound - Tales of Aesop (1990)

    "You are a very silly hare, and silly hares
     should not be allowed near Super-Speed
     Lawnmowers..."
                                         - Cedric Tortoise

    Here are Aesop's classic fables retold using puppets, and set in a modern-day
    surburb. Thus in "The Tortoise and the Hare", Hubert Hare and Cedric Tortoise
    are neighbours, disputing their speedy attributes over the garden fence. Other
    suburbanites include Boris the Lion, Geraldine Donkey, Hubert's twin brother
    Hogwyn, Mrs Bytte the wolf, Ferdy Fox, Becky Bird, Joshua Goat, Archibald
    Frog and Willy the Bumblefly.

    The stars are gloriously simple hand puppets, with solid wooden heads. They're
    brought to life by expert hands, and the great Tom Baker expounds the various
    voices. There are shades of Hector's House here, and the neighbourly theme
    latterly taken up by Don't Eat the Neighbours. Sadly, though, "Tales of Aesop"
    has been all-but forgotten since its broadcast, back in 1990. And that's a
    big shame, because this fun little production is crying out for re-discovery
    on DVD...

    Maybe this show was ahead of its time? - A couple of years back, there was
    a great fuss about a failed film project from Aardman Animation. "Tortoise Vs
    Hare" was to be - you guessed it - a modern retelling of the Aesop fable. Well,
    as Cedric Tortoise will tell you, "Tales of Aesop" was first past the post...

     Boris the Lion from "Tales of Aesop"

    Tales of Aesop episodes

     The Tortoise and the Hare
     The Lion and the Mouse
     The Quack Frog
     The Fox and the Goat
     Cry Wolf
     The Tortoise and the Bird
     The Bear and the Travellers
     The Miser
     The Fox, the Bird and the Cheese
     The Prophet
     The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse
     The Fox, the Wolf and the Sausages
     The Hares and the Treasure

    Broadcast info

     The first episode premiered on BBC1, on 30th March 1990,
     at 3.20pm. Episodes were broadcast in the same timeslot
     every week for thirteen straight weeks, with the series
     concluding on the 22nd June...

    a Matrix Production
    in association with Cimadis Inc.

    written and produced by Graham Lee
   adapted from Aesop's Fables

    director:         Jeremy Cross
    exec prod:      Theresa Plummer-Andrews (for the BBC)
    music:            Ann Bryant
    puppeteers:    Graham Lee, Kate Frost
    prod design:    Deborah Wright
    set design:      James Anning
    sound:            Simon Capes
    editor:            Richard Buss
    camera:          Michael Haynes
    camera asst:   Paul Bernard
    narration:       Tom Baker


     On the web

      Ann Bryant
      Ann is a busy writer and musician. She wrote the Aesop
      theme and incidental music for the series...

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			Tales of Aesop (1990) producers: Matrix Productions puppets: hand puppets episodes: 13 x 5mins
		"You are a very silly hare, and silly hares should not be allowed near Super-Speed Lawnmowers..." - Cedric Tortoise Here are Aesop's classic fables retold using puppets, and set in a modern-day surburb. Thus in "The Tortoise and the Hare", Hubert Hare and Cedric Tortoise are neighbours, disputing their speedy attributes over the garden fence. Other suburbanites include Boris the Lion, Geraldine Donkey, Hubert's twin brother Hogwyn, Mrs Bytte the wolf, Ferdy Fox, Becky Bird, Joshua Goat, Archibald Frog and Willy the Bumblefly. The stars are gloriously simple hand puppets, with solid wooden heads. They're brought to life by expert hands, and the great Tom Baker expounds the various voices. There are shades of Hector's House here, and the neighbourly theme latterly taken up by Don't Eat the Neighbours. Sadly, though, "Tales of Aesop" has been all-but forgotten since its broadcast, back in 1990. And that's a big shame, because this fun little production is crying out for re-discovery on DVD... Maybe this show was ahead of its time? - A couple of years back, there was a great fuss about a failed film project from Aardman Animation. "Tortoise Vs Hare" was to be - you guessed it - a modern retelling of the Aesop fable. Well, as Cedric Tortoise will tell you, "Tales of Aesop" was first past the post... Tales of Aesop episodes The Tortoise and the Hare The Lion and the Mouse The Quack Frog The Fox and the Goat Cry Wolf The Tortoise and the Bird The Bear and the Travellers The Miser The Fox, the Bird and the Cheese The Prophet The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse The Fox, the Wolf and the Sausages The Hares and the Treasure Broadcast info The first episode premiered on BBC1, on 30th March 1990, at 3.20pm. Episodes were broadcast in the same timeslot every week for thirteen straight weeks, with the series concluding on the 22nd June... a Matrix Production in association with Cimadis Inc. written and produced by Graham Lee adapted from Aesop's Fables director: Jeremy Cross exec prod: Theresa Plummer-Andrews (for the BBC) music: Ann Bryant puppeteers: Graham Lee, Kate Frost prod design: Deborah Wright set design: James Anning sound: Simon Capes editor: Richard Buss camera: Michael Haynes camera asst: Paul Bernard narration: Tom Baker On the web Ann Bryant Ann is a busy writer and musician. She wrote the Aesop theme and incidental music for the series... index » previous » next »

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