Rastamouse

Rastamouse
File:RastamouseTVtitle.jpg
Genre	Children's Animated
Created by	Genevieve Webster Michael De Souza
Starring	Reggie Yates Sharon Duncan-Brewster William Vanderpuye and Cornell John
Country of origin	United Kingdom
Original language	English
No. of episodes	26
Production
Running time	11 minutes
Production companies	Three Stones Media Ltd Dinamo Little Roots DHX Media
Original release
Network	BBC
Release	31 January 2011 (2011-01-31) – present

Rastamouse is a British animated stop motion entertainment series aimed at children under six years of age. There are 26 episodes featuring an all-mouse cast which was first shown on 31 January 2011 on CBeebies , a UK BBC channel. It is the first British animated series to feature Jamaican-Caribbean characters.

Origins

Rastamouse was introduced in 2005 with the children's book Rastamouse and the Crucial Plan. Rastamouse Da Bag-a Bling followed later in 2005 and Rastamouse and the Double-Crossin' Diva in 2006. All were written by Genevieve Webster (an author and illustrator) and Michael De Souza (a Rastafarian swimming instructor). The books are written in rhyme with a Caribbean accent, and using some Jamaican Patois terms. A pop song, "Ice Popp", has also been released in 2011.

Lenny Henry read two stories, 'The Crucial Plan' and 'Da Bag-a Bling', for BBC's Jackanory Junior, first shown in January 2008.

Characters

The series features an all-mouse reggae band — "Rastamouse and Da Easy Crew" — who hang out at the Nuff Song recording studio in the fictional Mouseland. Rastamouse wears a traditional Rasta tam (woolly hat), sports dreadlocks, and uses a skateboard. Scratchy, who is dressed in a 1950s style balloon skirt and a ribbon bow on her head, and the contemporarily-styled male Zoomer, both always wear roller skates.

Other regular characters include the President Wensley Dale, who calls Rastamouse on a small radio to help solve a problem in Mouseland; Bandulu the Cook, who has a large bite out of his left ear; and Bagga-T, the hip-hop-styled mouse who runs the orphanage. Occasional recurring characters are several unnamed young orphan mice, Missy D, Fats the garage owner, Little Patch the female Radio DJ, Rubba and Dub the male sporty twins, Saul the trainer shop owner and Super the grocery shop owner.

The Ethos of Rastamouse

The stories show how people can get on and solve problems through understanding, love and respect, without resorting to punishment. Rastamouse's ethos is redemption not retribution — "make a bad ting good" — to teach right from wrong, and help wrong-doers redeem themselves from their mistakes.

The Puppets

The puppets are made by Mackinnon and Saunders , who previously made the puppets for Bob the Builder and Tim Burton's Corpse Bride.

Media reactions

There has been much speculation in the British media that the Rastamouse cheese is an allusion to cannabis, as there are strains of the herb called "cheese" and "blue cheese", despite actual cheese being seen in the series. Rastafarian poet Benjamin Zephaniah has criticised the accuracy of the West Indian accents. There have been complaints to the BBC regarding the use of Jamaican slang, and alleged racist overtones.

The Voice, a newspaper serving the British African-Caribbean community, considered the show welcome, albeit as a stereotype of Jamaican life,, although a website poll showed that over 60% considered it to be a positive programme.

The Sun Newspaper reports the creator, Michael de Souza, is saddened by the media reaction to Rastamouse; the paper later commented that the BBC claims that "Rastamouse is not racist".

The Guardian newspaper gives a more balanced view of Rastamouse, with the producer Greg Boardman stating no 'Cult TV' type references were deliberately put in as is being claimed.

Cast

Character	Voice Actor
Rastamouse	Reggie Yates
Scratchy	Sharon Duncan-Brewster
Zoomer	William Vanderpuye
President Wensley Dale	Cornell John

Episodes

Initial broadcast date in parentheses.

• Da Crucial Plan (31 January 2011) The Easy Crew devise a clever plan to discover who has stolen all the cheese in Mouseland.
• Bakin' and Breakin' (1 February 2011) Rastamouse teaches some tasty dance moves to solve a problem at the orphanage.
• Da Missin Masterpiece (2 February 2011) The Easy Crew must come up with a plan to track down a missing masterpiece.
• For Real FM (3 February 2011) The Easy Crew track down a mystery pirate who's taken all the music in mouseland.
• Mice Camera Action (4 February 2011) Director Spike Cheez arrives in town making every mouse go crazy for his new pirate movie.
• Hot Hot Hot (7 February 2011) The Easy Crew must arrange a surprise party to track down a very selfish mouse.
• President's Pie (8 February 2011) A thief has taken a special pie Bandulu baked for Wensley Dale.
• Wicked Threads (9 February 2011) Rastamouse becomes involved in the clothing business.
• Da Marathon Mystery (10 February 2011) Rastamouse wonders if Rubba is cheating to win Da Big Cheese Marathon.
• Da Cool Cruiser (11 February 2011) Rastamouse must apprehend a motorised thief who's determined to win at all costs.
• Da Monstrous Fib (14 February 2011) Scary sounds have been spooking the orphan mice during their camping trip.
• Cheesy Rumbles (15 February 2011) The Easy Crew investigate strange rumbling sounds in the Buff Bay Caves.
• Boom Bada Boom (16 February 2011) Rastamouse and Scratchy to investigate why everyone in Grove Town is so keen to snooze.
• Da Ice Cold Criminal (17 February 2011) Rastamouse tracks down a thief with an icy ambition.
• Sole Rebel (18 February 2011) Zoomer, Rubba and Dub are devastated when their brand new trainers fall apart.

External links

• The Rastamouse.com Website
• Rastamouse at BBC Online