In the Night Garden

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In the Night Garden
Format	Children's television series
Created by	Anne Wood Andrew Davenport
Developed by	Ragdoll Productions
Narrated by	Derek Jacobi
Country of origin	United Kingdom
Language(s)	English
Broadcast
Original channel	BBC
Original airing	March 19, 2007
External links
IMDb profile

In the Night Garden is a BBC children's television series, particularly aimed at babies and preschool children. It is produced by Ragdoll Productions. It was created by Anne Wood CBE, Ragdoll's creative director, and Andrew Davenport, who also created Teletubbies. The programme is narrated by Sir Derek Jacobi. It is filmed mostly in live action, and features a mix of actors in costumes, plus puppetry and computer animation.

The series was announced in October 2005, and twenty episodes were first broadcast in March 2007. According to the BBC's internal magazine Ariel, more episodes are to be made in May 2007 with broadcasting resuming soon after.

The programme is said by its creators to be designed to both relax as well as entertain its intended audience of one-to-three year olds. One hundred episodes were commissioned by the BBC, with a budget of £14.5 million. ^[1]

1 Overview
2 Characters
3 Episode List
4 Merchandising
5 References
6 External links

[edit] Overview

The programme features colourful characters with unusual names: Upsy Daisy, Igglepiggle, Makka Pakka, the Pontipines, the Wottingers, the Haahoos and three Tombliboos who live in a garden. As well as trees and tropical birds (Tittifers), the garden features a large cast of other creatures for a programme aimed at toddlers. The characters mostly speak short, repetitive phrases in an invented language. The repetition of sound associated with the characters builds up familiarity amongst the target audience. The garden is a colourful, brightly-decorated environment reminiscent of a dream world. Co-creator Anne Wood said^[2]:

"We wanted to explore the difference between being asleep and being awake from a child's point of view: the difference between closing your eyes and pretending to be asleep and closing your eyes and sleeping,"

Each episode starts with a child in bed (a different child appears in each episode), while the narrator introduces the episode. The scene cuts to Igglepiggle, in his boat, travelling to the Night Garden. The episodes end with one character receiving a bedtime story, which is generated by the "Magic Roundabout" style gazebo that sits at the centre of the Night Garden. This story is a summary of the plot of the episode. Sometimes the characters all sing and dance together under the gazebo.

Because Igglepiggle is a visitor to the garden, he does not go to sleep, and his goodbye sequence ("Igglepiggle's not in bed!" — "Squeak!" — "Don't worry, Igglepiggle, it's time to go.") rounds off the programme. The Night Garden retreats into the night sky and we see him asleep on his little boat as the programme's closing titles roll. As Piggle is clearly asleep at the beginning and end of the programme it might be inferred that the entire narrative was his dream. Oddly, he takes down the sail of his boat at the beginning in order to travel, a rather Zen like gesture.

Unlike most television programmes aimed at toddlers, In The Night Garden is not primarily intended to be educational. Instead, it is intended to help children relax, and achieve calming relationships with parents. Co-creator Anne Wood stated "We became very aware of the anxiety surrounding the care of young children which manifested itself in all kind of directions – but the one big subject that came up again and again was bedtime. It's the classic time for tension between children who want to stay up and parents who want them to go to bed... so this is a programme about calming things down whereas most children's TV is about gee-ing everything up!" ^[3]

[edit] Characters

Igglepiggle is a blue creature similar to a teddy bear. He always carries his red blanket with him, and tends to fall flat on his back when surprised. He arrives at the beginning and leaves the Night Garden at the end of each episode in a boat, for which the blanket doubles as a sail. Igglepiggle has a bell in his foot, a squeak in his middle, and a rattle in his left foot. His best friend in the garden is Upsy Daisy ^[4]. He is the only character not to sleep in the Night Garden, apart from one time when he fell asleep on Upsy Daisy's bed. IgglePiggle is clearly not a native of the Garden but a visitor.

Upsy Daisy is similar to a rag doll, and is of Afro-Caribbean origin. She has her own special bed, which can move around the garden; sometimes Upsy Daisy has to catch her bed when it decides to run away. Her catchphrases are "Upsy Daisy" and "Daisy Doo!" Her hair stands on end when excited, and her skirt inflates to a tutu when she dances or pulls the ripcord on her waist. Upsy Daisy enjoys singing and has an orange megaphone on a stand.

Makka Pakka is more rounded than Igglepiggle, smaller than any of the other costumed characters, has three spikes on his head (one on the top and two on the sides), and is a creamy colour. He lives in a little cave and likes cleaning things, such as his collection of stacking stones, and sometimes the other characters themselves. Makka Pakka often stacks freshly cleaned stones into piles of three or sometimes more, the trio constructions resembling the protuberances upon his head and body. He sleeps on a stone bed, often cuddling a smooth flat stone. He travels around the Garden pushing his trolley, the Og-Pog. The Og-Pog carries Makka's sponge and soap, his red trumpet, and a bellows-like apparatus called Uff-uff which he uses to dry items after cleaning them. His house is approached by a stone-walled ditch, as his home is set half-buried in the ground. He sometimes seems to be acting as a Groundskeeper to the garden.

The three Tombliboos - Unn, Ooo, and Eee - are like dolls dressed in costumes with stripes and spots: red and green (Unn), brown and pink (Ooo), and pink and yellow (Eee). The names Unn, Ooo and Eee reflect phonetically how a young child might say the numbers One, Two, Three, and the Tombliboos always appear in this order by saying their names. They live and sleep in a shared bed in the middle of a bush, in the large spaces between the branches. The Tombliboos enjoy playing the drums and keyboard, which they have in their bush home, although not with any particular musical prowess, and they also enjoy playing with their large stacking cubes. Their trousers (which fall down at random moments) are often seen hanging on the washing line outside their bush home, and they usually take them down from the line and put them on before going on an adventure. They often brush their teeth before bed.

All the above characters are played by actors in costumes.

The Pontipines (red) and Wottingers (blue) are two families of ten tiny creatures (a mother and a father, plus four boys and four girls) similar to peg dolls, who live in adjacent semi-detached houses at the foot of a tree. The Pontipines appear in most episodes, while appearances by the Wottingers are rare. The Pontipines all dress in a very similar fashion to each other, as do the Wottingers. Each family sleeps in one room, their beds next to each other in two rows of five. The Pontipines are able to enter their home by flying down the chimney, as well as through the front door. They have no feet. The Pontipines enter the Pinky Ponk through a different door to all the other characters, and stay on a separate deck. The Pontipines and the Wottingers are animated using stop motion animation. Mrs Pontipine carries a pair of binoculars around her neck at all times, and she uses them to look for her children when they get lost. The Wottingers father figure lacks the bushy moustache of the Pontipine patriarch and therefore appears to be younger. Mrs. Wottingers hat is of a different design to her red counterpart and the families' garb while similar in design is not identical.

The Haahoos are five large pillow-like creatures of various shapes and colours. They are 30ft inflatables. They float slowly around the garden like puffy pillows, calling a low "mmm!" sound to each other as they meet up to go to sleep in a big pillowy pile. The Haahoos appear dancing at the end of some episodes, and are then seen going to sleep.

The Tittifers are tropical birds with their own unique songs. When they sing together, they lull the residents to sleep. There are four small blue Tittifers, three larger pink ones ("hoopoes"), two big green ones ("Turacos") and one multicoloured toucan with a huge purple beak.

The Ninky Nonk is a train of five differently sized and shaped carriages. In comparison to the trees and other flora of the forest, it is clearly quite small, but the main characters can easily fit inside it. When it stops or starts, the seat-belted passengers jerk sharply in their seats. The accompanying loud klaxons warn everyone inside. The Ninky Nonk can drive up and down trees and upside-down along branches. The Ninky Nonk seems to stop and go on its own and, like the other characters, "goes to sleep", hinting that it may be a sentient machine. Exterior shots of travelling are of a toy-sized train, while interiors and static exterior shots are done on sets or life-sized models.

It is notable that the third carriage of the Ninky Nonk appears to be similar in shape and design to the Tardis, a sentient time-travelling machine on the BBC series Doctor Who. Whether this was intentional or not by the BBC developers of the show is unknown, but it is intriguing.

The Pinky Ponk is an airship, speckled with many fins. The characters often use it to travel around the forest. Judging by the noises it makes whilst travelling it runs on some sort of gas, although it produces no visible emissions other than the "Pinky Ponk juice" which is dispensed in "sippi cups"^[4]. Like the Ninky Nonk, the Pinky Ponk is likely a sentient machine. Exterior shots are chroma keyed model shots, while interior ones are produced on a set.

[edit] Episode List

Series	Part	Title	Description
1	1	Makka Pakka Washes Faces	Makka Pakka visits all the inhabitants of the garden to wash their faces.
1	2	Tombliboos' Waving Game	The Tombliboos wave to everybody as they fly through the garden in the Pinky Ponk.
1	3	Everybody All Aboard the Ninky Nonk	Everybody goes for a ride in the Ninky Nonk. Makka Pakka gets left behind.
1	4	The Prettiest Flower	Upsy Daisy wants to look at all the pretty flowers in the garden.
1	5	Makka Pakka's Trumpet Makes a Funny Noise	The Pontipines count to three and Makka Pakka's trumpet is making a funny noise.
1	6	Pontipines in Upsy Daisy's Bed	The Pontipines count up to five and go for a very long walk around the garden.
1	7	Who's Next on the Pinky Ponk	The Tombliboos decide to ride in the Pinky Ponk, but no-one notices the Pontipines arrive.
1	8	Igglepiggle's Blanket in Makka Pakka's Ditch	Igglepiggle has lost his blanket. Upsy Daisy helps him look for it.
1	9	Ninky Nonk Wants a Kiss	Upsy Daisy kisses everything in the garden, including a tree, a flower and Igglepiggle.
1	10	Too Loud Tombliboos Nice and Quiet	The Tombliboos are practicing their music so loudly it can be heard all over the garden.
1	11	Makka Pakka Gets Lost	Makka Pakka sets off through the garden looking for stones but he loses his way.
1	12	Jumping for Everybody	The Pontipines count to six. Upsy Daisy shows Igglepiggle how to jump.
1	13	Hiding in Flowerpots	The Pontipines play hide and seek.
1	14	Pinky Ponk Adventure	The Pinky Ponk gets stuck in a tree and tips up. Everybody slides up one end.
1	15	Tombliboos' Tower of Five	The Tombliboos are inside their bush, building with their very own bricks.
1	16	Igglepiggle's Mucky Patch	Igglepiggle falls down flat and gets a muddy patch on his tummy.
1	17	Riding Pinky Ponk and Drinking Juice	The Tombliboos are riding in the Pinky Ponk, enjoying their Pinky Ponk Juice.
1	18	Special Megaphone	Upsy Daisy sets up her own special megaphone to sing, but she can't make herself heard.
1	19	Tombliboos Clean Their Teeth	The Tombliboos run all over the inside of their bush looking for their toothbrushes.
1	20	Igglepiggle's Blanket Walks About By Itself	Igglepiggle's blanket has landed on Makka Pakka and seems to be running about by itself.
1	21	Pontipine Children in the Tombliboos' Trousers	The Pontipines go for a long walk to the Tombliboo house, where the children play a game.
1	22	Upsy Daisy's Big Loud Sing Song	Upsy Daisy chooses to sing through her megaphone, and the Pontipines cover their ears.
1	23	Playing Hiding with Makka Pakka	The Tombliboos have discovered a new game - hiding in the garden. Where have they gone?
1	24	The Ball	A ball bounces around the garden visiting one character after another.
1	25	Where is the Pinky Ponk Going?	Everyone in the Night Garden boards the Pinky Ponk for a very special journey.
1	26	Igglepiggle Looks For Upsy Daisy and Follows Her Bed	Igglepiggle cannot find Upsy Daisy, but then he spots her bed and follows it to her.
1	27	Wave to the Wottingers	The Pontipines set out on a walk, but everywhere they go the Wottingers get there first.
1	28	Runaway Og-Pog	Makka Pakka's Og-pog runs away by itself.
1	29	Upsy Daisy, Igglepiggle, the Bed & the Ball	While Upsy Daisy plays with a ball, Igglepiggle decides to go to sleep in her bed.
1	30	Tombliboo Ooo Drinks Everybody Else's Pinky Ponk Juice	Everyone is riding on the Pinky Ponk, but Tombliboo Ooo is more interested in drinking.
1	31	Looking for Each Other	Igglepiggle and Upsy Daisy are best friends, but Igglepiggle can't find her.
1	32	High and Low	The Tombliboos explore inside their house, which is full of interesting spaces.
1	33	Tombliboos Have a Very Busy Day	The Tombliboos spend all day riding on the Pinky Ponk and exploring the garden.
1	34	The Pontipines on the Ninky Nonk	Everyone goes for a ride on the Ninky Nonk.
1	35	The Pontipines Find Igglepiggle's Blanket	Igglepiggle is dancing in the garden when he loses his blanket.
1	36	Igglepiggle's Accident	Igglepiggle finds the stones which Makka Pakka has tidied.
1	37	Upsy Daisy Kisses Everything	Upsy Daisy loves the garden so much that she frequently kisses everything around her.
1	38	Following	The Tombliboos are playing inside their house, but Tombliboo Eee can't decide what to do.
1	39	Look What the Ball Did!	The ball is bouncing all over the garden, knocking things over.
1	40	The Tombliboos Build an Arch	Inside the Tombliboo house the Tombliboos build an arch out of their bricks.
1	41	Makka Pakka's Stone Garden	Makka Pakka discovers he can make musical notes by tapping different stones.
1	42	Hurry Up Tombliboos	The Tombliboos are in their house when Makka Pakka comes to call.
1	43	Wake Up Igglepiggle	Igglepiggle tucks up in Upsy Daisy's bed. When she returns he has to jump out quickly.
1	44	Washing the Haahoos	The smallest Pontipines and biggest Haahoos get clean when Makka Pakka washes their faces.
1	45	Where's Upsy Daisy Gone?	Upsy Daisy teaches Igglepiggle how to play hiding.
1	46	Over and Under	Everyone is riding on the Pinky Ponk when the Ding Dong alarm goes.
1	47	Upsy Daisy's Tiring Walk	Igglepiggle and Upsy Daisy go for a very long walk.
1	48	Makka Pakka's Present	Makka Pakka makes a pile of six stones.
1	49	Igglepiggle Goes Visiting	Igglepiggle can't find the Pontipines because they are so very small.
1	50	Tombliboo Trousers	The Tombliboos are having fun in the garden, but their trousers keep falling down.
1	51	Where's your Uff-Uff Makka Pakka?	Makka Pakka is washing the ball when his uff-uff is blown away
1	52	Dinner In The Ninky Nonk	The Pontipines decide to have their dinner on the Ninky Nonk.
1	53	Igglepiggle's Tiddle	A mysterious jet of water, a tiddle, appears suddenly next to Igglepiggle.
1	54	Tombliboo Eee Gets Lost	Tombliboo Eee becomes separated from the other two Tombliboos, Unn and Ooo.
1	55	Shshsh! Upsy Daisy's having a rest	Upsy Daisy wants to rest in her bed but is disturbed by one character after another.

Source: BBC Programmes^[5]

Until 1 April 2008 the Show aired on the CBeebies channel Mon-Fri at 10:30am, 1:30pm and 6:25pm in the bedtime hour, and on Sat and Sun at only 6:25pm.^[6]. Like every other show on Cbeebies, the same episodes are shown all day. Since the change of schedule a petition has been set up asking for the programme to be re-instated to its normal slot as many parents and children are unhappy about the programme being moved.

In 2007 the show won the Children's BAFTA for 'Pre-School live action'.^[7]

[edit] Merchandising

In the Night Garden merchandising, DVDs, Igglepiggle dolls and other ways of 'extending the experience' were due to arrive in the shops in the summer of 2007. The show's makers, Ragdoll Productions, signed a deal to make the toy producer Hasbro a global partner long before the show hit the screens." As promised, merchandise arrived in British high streets and supermarkets in July 2007, including small Igglepiggle, Upsy Daisy and Makka Pakka stuffed toys and a small Ninky Nonk train with detachable carriages. In addition, wheeled toy licensee MV Sports & Leisure Limited produced the Iggle Piggle Tri Scooter and Iggle Piggle Trike with Upsy Daisy and Og Pog scooters and trikes to follow in early 2008. Allso, Play-doh has made some dough that comes packaged with an Igglepiggle-shaed cut-out.

Three DVDs have been released: Who's Here?, Hello Igglepiggle! and Hello Upsy Daisy! According to Amazon, a fourth DVD titled Hello Makka Pakka! is set to be released 19th May 2008.

In the Spring/Summer 2008 edition of the Argos catalogue, many new toys arrived, including Roll along characters, Talking Cuddly Makka Pakka, Ninky Nonk Pop-up tent and more.