#The adventures of twizzle dvd series

The series, while using intricate puppetry, predates the first official Supermarionation series by Anderson, Four Feather Falls, by two years, though it's still classified as such by many. It was created by Roberta Leigh and Suzanne Warner in 1957, with many of Anderson's future collaborators, including Composer Barry Gray, Art Director Reg Hill, and Special Effects Director Derek Meddings serving as part of the production crew. (Although amazingly, with the exception of Twizzle, the entire CV of Gerry Anderson is still in existence). Reviewed by Steve Adams at the Symphony Hall on Saturday 16 April.The Adventures of Twizzle is the break-into-television from AP Films and Supermarionation artist Gerry Anderson, who would go on to create popular British science fiction shows as Fireball XL5, Stingray, Thunderbirds, Captain Scarlet & the Mysterons, Joe 90, The Secret Service, UFO, Space:1999, Dick Spanner, P.I.

#The adventures of twizzle dvd tv

A magnificently larger-than-life creation, like so many of Anderson’s FAB TV shows. It was originally written and played on synthesizers due to budgetary constraints in the 1980s, but sounded suitably grandiose fleshed out by authentic instruments.

They did so on extended Terrahawks and Thunderbirds suites, which were the night’s undoubted highlights (along with a WINning Joe 90 selection) with the former conducted by its composer Richard Harvey and performed by an orchestra for the first time. The latter was inevitable given the stated intention of covering every show in the Anderson canon (although The Protectors was suspiciously absent), but segueing more material together would have given the orchestra a chance to get out of first gear.

The occasional technical hiccup was perhaps to be expected – though no doubt frustrating for the camera crew recording the event for a DVD advertised on screen before the show had even started – but other trivial quibbles included Culshaw’s inexplicable impersonating of more Dr Who characters than Anderson creations, and the stop-start nature of playing so many brief theme tunes. The partisan crowd lapped it up, reliving their childhoods as they delighted in footage from the shows played on a big screen, and nodded and laughed at the introductions and reminiscences of host John Culshaw.īut this colourful (even orchestra members were dressed in costumes from the shows) salute to all things Supermarionation and beyond wasn’t without its faults, albeit minor. The concert marked the first time that music from throughout his 50-year career has been performed in one show, with a 55-piece orchestra conducted by George Morton offering creditable recitals of everything from the (very) simple 1950s pleasures of The Adventures of Twizzle and Four Feather Falls to the thrilling 1960s majesty of Stingray, Thunderbirds, Joe 90 et al, all created by much-lauded composer Barry Gray. “5… 4… 3… 2… 1… Thunderbirds Are Go” chanted the raptured audience at this delightful one-off concert celebrating the iconic music that accompanied the equally iconic (and mostly children’s) TV shows of master-creator Gerry Anderson.