A Charming, Forgotten Children’s Programme From the 1960's
When I am unwell nothing soothes me more than a sweet children’s TV programme. It worked when I was a kid and it is still working now that I’ve become a grown-up. (Thank God I became a schoolteacher — it gives me a perfect excuse to watch those anyway, in case anybody asks.)
Last Tuesday I was particularly unwell, and as I lay miserably on my sofa I started thinking of the cartoons I used to watch as a child growing up in the South of France. It was a joy to find that most of them were on YouTube, and while some were low quality (no wonder given that those programmes played in the 1990’s) it felt like a delightful vintage kind of a treat.
After a while though, I felt like watching something new. Something I didn’t know the end of, but most importantly, something gentle. As my head started hurting I found everything to be too loud and colourful.
So, I began browsing free children’s TV shows on Amazon Prime…and there it was, at last. A programme called Camberwick Green made in 1966. I can’t possibly begin to tell you…What an absolute DELIGHT.
Each episode begins with a beautiful musical box — a real one which has obviously been created especially by the creators. And in this musical box, as the narrator informs us, there is ‘a secret’. (Talk about a premise!)
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The ‘secret’ is one of the little characters who lives in the fictional world of Camberwick Green. The narrator then has a little chat with that particular puppet which is a clever technique to help the viewer understand who the character is. Afterwards, at last, we get a glimpse into the tiny puppet world of Camberwick Green, and discover how the ‘secret’ character interacts with it all.
And it is absolutely beautiful. I have never been one for puppet shows, but this is a completely different affair. It is done incredibly tastefully, with gentle pastel colours and organic stop-motion animation that turns the puppets into actual characters. The narration is soft, unhurried, and the stories are always delightful.
What I find particularly compelling about the show, also, is its very theme — a world slowly slipping into modernity, while still cherishing its traditions. For instance, the very first episode (spoilers ahead, beware!) is about how Windy Miller saves the day by providing milk for the villagers that he has himself got from his cow using his own two hands. It turns out that the fancy dairy machines of the businessman in town have broken down, and now the baker has no milk to prepare his many cake orders!
And voilà. If you are looking for something different, something soothing, short and sweet, with a lovely storyline, gentle characters and hand-fashioned decors (did I mention Windy Miller’s GORGEOUS little bicycle??), I can’t recommend Camberwick Green by Gordon Murray enough. I promise it will be a treat.
By the way, this is not an affiliate link, just a lovely little something I came across and felt like sharing. (There is, by the way, an interesting BBC article on the subject.)
If you would be so keen, I would so love to discover more charming TV shows, for children or grownups, through you if you have any recommendation. :)
Hope you have a lovely weekend,
Marie-Camille
