Bambaloo (2002 - 2003)

Children's series
65 episodes x 30 minutes

Series synopsis:

Bambaloo is a theme-based preschool show designed for three to five-year-olds. The host Sam (Angela Kelly) lives in the Bambaloo tree and, with her puppet friends, explores the world through music, stories, puzzles, imagination, games and songs. The show has a regular, structured format. Each of the program segments focuses on a different area of learning and the beginning of each new segment is signalled with a signature song. The mice, Jinx (David Collins) and Gypsy (Roslyn Oades), provide most of the links between segments. They can be seen by the audience but not by the other characters in the Bambaloo tree.

Program segments include:
Mailtime – mail that ties into the theme for the day arrives.

Games and Puzzles – Sam and the Muppets play a game or do a puzzle.

Footage – Jinx and Gypsy sing 'We can show you’ as they push the button that activates the screen downstairs transmitting location footage to help Sam and the gang with their quest.

Storytime – Jinx and Gypsy sing ‘Hello Hello’ and phone for a friend to come and help solve a problem.

Feature Song – each week the same song is played over the 5 days. This song is based on the theme for the week.

Jake’s Place – The artistic Jake (André Eikmeier) lives across the river and he makes art and craft. The mice visit him daily with the intention of asking him to make something for them, but food usually becomes their focus instead.

Curator’s Notes:

Bambaloo is a bright and fun preschooler’s program. The broad themes are well pitched to this audience and include topics such as flying, feelings, senses, things are not always what they seem, transport and bodies.

This was a co-production between Yoram Gross EM.TV, the Seven Network and The Jim Henson Company (US). As live-action, Bambaloo was a step in a new direction for the Yoram Gross company, whose extensive experience and previous success was in children’s animation. Bambaloo was an ambitious project. As well as the two human characters, there are five puppets, as well as visiting characters. The puppet characters were designed by Pablo de la Tore from Yoram Gross EM.TV and Karen Ohland from The Jim Henson Company, London. Around 35 visiting puppets were provided by The Jim Henson Company, LA. The animation and graphics were provided by the Yoram Gross EM.TV animation studio in Sydney, and the live-action and puppet content was shot at Fox Studios in Sydney.

Bambaloo won two Children’s Television (P Classification) AWGIE (Australian Writers Guild) awards in 2003 for Gina Roncoli’s script The Sad Sunflower, and in 2004 for Melanie Alexander’s episode Swimming in the Rain.

Annemaree O'Brien

Titles in this series