This is an old revision of this page, as edited by 202.156.6.54 (talk) at 11:06, 2 December 2005. The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.
Revision as of 11:06, 2 December 2005 by 202.156.6.54 (talk)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)
The Tweenies is a television programme aimed at children, broadcast on the BBC. The programme is set at a daycare centre, and the four Tweenies themselves are Milo and Jake (both boys) and Bella and Fizz (both girls), played by actors inside foam rubber suits in a style reminiscent of the Teletubbies, only geared towards a slightly older audience. The regular cast includes two adults, Max and Judy, and two dogs, Doodles and (less frequently, and in the later episodes) Izzles, all in similar suits.
A "Tweenie Clock", with five circular lights arranged in a pentagonal shape with the lights denoting "news time" (orange), "messy time" (blue: art, sticking, painting), "song time" (yellow: generally nursery rhymes or children's classics), "telly time" (green) and "story time" (red). "Surprise Time" is a special time determined when all five lights glow. A button next to the clock is pressed to select the activity that will be undertaken next.
It has also been shown in the U.S. on the cable channel Noggin since mid-2003, however, it is shown intermittently (not every day) at an extremely early morning hour (ranging from 6am on the east coast to 3am on the west coast). Like with the more well-known across-the-Atlantic transplant of Bob the Builder, the episodes are re-dubbed with American-accented voices to make them easier for American children to follow and words specific to British English are changed (for example, "telly time" is renamed "video time" and "news time" is renamed "circle time"). The Noggin site notes that it is one of Britain's most popular children's TV shows.
It is currently being shown on CBeebies (the BBCs young children's channel). The Tweenies is a great success and kids love it!
There is also a live version of The Tweenies shown regularly at Alton Towers in the section Cred Street,the section aimed at younger children.
Characters
"Tweenies" (preschool children):
- Bella - female, oldest, confident but with bossy tendencies. Blue skin, yellow hair with a bow.
- Milo - male, boistrous but friendly, adds "-aroony!" to words to show approval. Purple skin and short spiked hair.
- Fizz - female, favourite colour pink, stereotypically feminine but practical. Yellow skin, long brown braided hair.
- Jake - male, youngest, prone to mispronunciation of new words. Skin is orange, hair is a yellow "mohican quiff".
Other characters:
- Max - adult male, avuncular and workmanlike but prone to flights of fancy, used to play bass guitar in a band. Pink skin, balding white hair.
- Judy - adult female, Irish, sympathetic and sensible. Green skin, purple hair.
- Doodles - canine, male, breed unknown, often wiser than the Tweenies but misunderstood. Red and yellow fur.
- Izzles - canine, female, possibly Afghan Hound, friend of Doodles. Purple and silver fur.
Cast (UK)
The Tweenies are played and voiced by different people. The actors that provide the voices also operate the animatronic parts of their heads.
Actors:
Bella - Tamsin Heatley
Fizz - Jenny Hutchinson / Pui Fan Lee
Milo - C H Beck
Jake - Samantha Dodd
Max and Judy - Simon Grover
Doodles - Alan Riley
Judy (outside) - Sinead Rushe
Voices:
Fizz - Coleen Daley
Jake and Doodles - Justin Fletcher
Max and Milo - Bob Golding
Bella - Sally Preisig
Judy - Sinead Rushe
These voice actors are recognisable as actors from other BBC series. For example, Justin Fletcher is "Justin" from Tikkabilla, and Sally Preisig is "Peggy Patch" from Playdays.
External links
- Tweenies from the BBC website
- Tweenies from the Noggin website
- Second Skin Agency for the actors