Jim Henson productions can range from sweet to dark to riotously funny. This is easily in the first catagory, a charming retelling of nursery rhymes for younger kids, told in these episode by a mother hen to her often unruly chicks. This one is told while the chicks shelter from high winds, and tells the story of a giant wandering about the countryside, terrifying locals in the villages. Not that this giant intends to frighten people - he is more clumsy than anything, failing to notice where he is walking.
Oblivious to all this is the miller and his daughter Dorothy (Victoria Shalet in the first of two episodes she did of this), who are struggling to grind wheat to sell on as flour, due to a complete lack of wind. Their dairy cow offers herself up for money (this is a kids show, so meaning taking her to market to sell), but Dorothy is horrified. This offers up some humour as the cow argues that she can be sold and Dorothy and her father that she can't, until suddenly the miller stops and says "She's right! She can be. Thanks cow!", leading Dorothy to admonish him. "Oh father! How could you?" she cries.
I don't want to say more for spoiling the story, but while taking the cow to market Dorothy comes face to face with the Giant. Their meeting proves surprisingly helpful to both of them, as Dorothy is quick witted and determined enough to see a solution for both their problems. I thoroughly enjoyed the production, which was bright, charming and surprisingly funny at times. But the most impressive was Victoria Shalet's performance in the lead role. Although she must of been about 8 years old when she did this, she gives a wonderfully self assured performance that is charming, fiesty and amusing, and remarkable for someone her age.
Oblivious to all this is the miller and his daughter Dorothy (Victoria Shalet in the first of two episodes she did of this), who are struggling to grind wheat to sell on as flour, due to a complete lack of wind. Their dairy cow offers herself up for money (this is a kids show, so meaning taking her to market to sell), but Dorothy is horrified. This offers up some humour as the cow argues that she can be sold and Dorothy and her father that she can't, until suddenly the miller stops and says "She's right! She can be. Thanks cow!", leading Dorothy to admonish him. "Oh father! How could you?" she cries.
I don't want to say more for spoiling the story, but while taking the cow to market Dorothy comes face to face with the Giant. Their meeting proves surprisingly helpful to both of them, as Dorothy is quick witted and determined enough to see a solution for both their problems. I thoroughly enjoyed the production, which was bright, charming and surprisingly funny at times. But the most impressive was Victoria Shalet's performance in the lead role. Although she must of been about 8 years old when she did this, she gives a wonderfully self assured performance that is charming, fiesty and amusing, and remarkable for someone her age.