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Rastamouse

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Rastamouse
File:RastamouseTVtitle.jpg
GenreChildren's
Animated
Created byGenevieve Webster
Michael De Souza
StarringReggie Yates
Sharon Duncan-Brewster
William Vanderpuye
and Cornell John
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Original languageEnglish
No. of episodes26[1]
Production
Running time11 minutes
Production companiesThree Stones Media Ltd
Dinamo
Little Roots
DHX Media
Original release
NetworkBBC
Release31 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 [2], a UK BBC channel in the afternoon. From 7 March 2011 it is also being repeated on BBC2 in the early morning. 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 [3] terms. A pop song, "Ice Popp", has also been released in 2011.

Lenny Henry [4] 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 [5], 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 [6][7] that the Rastamouse cheese is an allusion to cannabis, as there are strains of the herb called "cheese" and "blue cheese", [citation needed] 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.[8]

The Voice, a newspaper serving the British African-Caribbean community, considered the show welcome, albeit as a stereotype of Jamaican life,[9], although a website poll showed that over 60% considered it to be a positive programme.[10]

The Sun Newspaper reports the creator, Michael de Souza, is saddened by the media reaction to Rastamouse;[11] the paper later commented that the BBC claims that "Rastamouse is not racist" [12], as more fully reported on Digital Spy [13]

The Guardian newspaper [14] 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) Somebody steals Wensley Dale's presidential tie during the island fashion competition.
  • 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.
  • Double Crossin' Diva (14 March 2011) A missing minibus and a talent show trip; Rastamouse must judge who's breaking the rules.

References

  1. ^ List of episodes
  2. ^ Rastamouse on BBC i-player
  3. ^ Rasta/Patois Dictionary
  4. ^ Lenny Henry reads Rastamouse
  5. ^ Mackinnon & Saunders website
  6. ^ The Guardian Pass notes, No 2,925: Rastamouse
  7. ^ The Independent reviews Rastamouse
  8. ^ Daily Mirror: "Rastamouse kids TV show sparks racism row", February 17, 2011.
  9. ^ The Voice reviews Rastamouse
  10. ^ The Voice Rastamouse poll
  11. ^ A Sad Tale For Rastamouse - The Sun Newspaper
  12. ^ Rastamouse is not Racist - The Sun newspaper
  13. ^ Digital Spy: BBC hits back at 'Rastamouse' complaints
  14. ^ The Guardian: Rastamouse: righteous rodent or rank stereotype?
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