The Adventures of Abney & Teal
| The Adventures of Abney & Teal | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Created by | Joel Stewart |
| Developed by |
Ragdoll Productions for BBC Television CBC |
| Starring |
Adrian Scarborough Shingai Shoniwa. |
| Narrated by | Adrian Scarborough |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom Canada |
| Original language(s) | English |
| No. of seasons | 2 |
| No. of episodes | 52 |
| Production | |
| Executive producer(s) | Anne Wood |
| Running time | 11 minutes |
| Production company(s) |
DHX Media (2013–present) Ragdoll Productions (2011–2013) |
| Distributor |
BBC Television CBC |
| Release | |
| Original network | CBeebies |
| Original release | 26 September 2011 – 28 October 2012 |
The Adventures of Abney & Teal is a British-Canadian children's television programme which uses a mixture of 2D and CGI animation based on the works of writer and illustrator Joel Stewart. The show, which follows the adventures of two friends, is set on a series of small islands on a lake in a park in an unnamed city. The show was first broadcast on Cbeebies in the United Kingdom in September 2011, and is produced by Ragdoll Productions.
The Adventures of Abney & Teal centres on two animated rag dolls named Abney and Teal who live on an island in a lake in a park in a city. Abney lives in a hut at the base of a tree. Teal sleeps in the branches of the tree, with her only possessions a blanket and an umbrella. Abney & Teal share their environment with several friends:
From time to time Neep's 'friends and relations' come to visit. They look much like Neep but are different colours and have varying other features. For example, Zeep has a long blond moustache and Meep wears glasses.
The show is produced by Anne Wood who, as founder of Ragdoll Productions, had previously brought successful children's shows such as Teletubbies and In the Night Garden to BBC Television. Wood stated that she had been an admirer of Stewart's picture books and their "distinct brand of gentle, fantastical humour and exquisite drawing style", but stated that it was his work on the book Addis Berner Bear Forgets that prompted her to contact the author. As well as creator Stewart is also the series director, and spent three years working on the show before it aired. Stewart stated in 2011 that the characters were all original constructs, designed in his sketchbooks, and the inspiration for the setting came from a visit to Victoria Park in East London. The show is co-written by Steve Roberts and Matilda Tristram.
The show is narrated by British actor Adrian Scarborough who also provides the voice for Abney, while Teal is voiced by Shingai Shoniwa, who is best known as the lead singer of the Noisettes. None of the other characters have speaking roles, apart from Neep's ability to say his own name. Each episode is roughly eleven minutes long. The first series of 26 episodes started airing in the United Kingdom during September 2011. The show is aimed at 3-6 year-olds, but has been recognised for its adult friendly style, which harks back to earlier British children's programmes, drawing comparisons with the work of Oliver Postgate. BBC licensing manager, Julie Kekwith, acknowledged the show's retro-feel in 2011, stating "we're sure [it] will appeal to adults and parents as well as children." and that the show has a "unique nostalgic and literary feel". While Kate Monaghan in a 2011 review described the animation as having an "old-fashioned, puppet-esque feel", Fernando De Jesus of ITV Studios commented that the show has a "sort of chic brashness".
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