Five Minutes More

Louise Gold voiced Florrie (to Alice Osborne’s puppetry), the series was filmed in Australia, but dubbed in Britain, and premiered on Australian television on 23 August 2006.

Cast

Puppeteers

Faraway – Nigel Plaskitt

Louisa – Sean Masterson

Georgie – Adam Kronenberg

Sam – Chris Lane

Florrie – Alice Osborne

Voices

Faraway – Nigel Plaskitt

Louisa – Gillie Robic

Georgie – Elizabeth Lindsay

Sam – Mark Jefferis

Florrie – Louise Gold

Production Team

Executive Producers – Angus Fletcher, and, Martin Robertson

Producers – Donna Andrews, and, Justine Flynn

Director – Mark Barnard

Writers – Jan Page, and, Mellie Buse

Music – Gary Go

Associate Producer – Peter Coogan

Puppets – Solution Studios, by Paul Jomain, and, Scott Brooker

Puppet Rigger and Costumes – Paul Jomain

Production Manager – Naomi Just

Production Designer – Julio Himede

Art Director – Katrina Adams

Lighting Designer – Richard Curtis

Editor – Simone Cassar

Shot in –Sydney Australia

Original series development and puppet design – The Jim Henson Company

Made By – a Snow River Media/Buster Dandy Production

Produced in association with – Disney Channel

Five Minutes More – an Australia-UK Co-Production

With thanks to – Australia Film Commission, and, Department of Culture, Media & Sport (UK)

It seems that the reasons for three British puppeteers working only as voice-artistes rather than as puppeteers on the series probably has quite a lot to do with the fact that the series was filmed in Australia but dubbed in Britain.

Louise Gold and Nigel Plaskitt had previously been Leading Puppeteers on Spitting Image, on which Mark Jefferis was also a puppeteer, and coincidentally on which puppet-mistress Louise Gold was also a voice-artiste.

Great British puppeteers Louise Gold, and, Nigel Plaskitt have also puppeteered on The Tale of The Bunny Picnic, and, Alice In Wonderland, both for The Jim Henson Company. They also worked together on Space Sprogs. They both appeared at Muppets And Puppets (Kaleidoscope Event).

Nigel Plaskitt, and, Gillie Robic had previously puppeteered on Labyrinth, on which Louise Gold did a cameo as an actress.

Nigel Plaskitt, Louise Gold, and, Gillie Robic all puppeteered on The Muppet Christmas Carol, which Peter Coogan was also a producer on

Nigel Plaskitt, and, Louise Gold also puppeteered on The Spooks Of Bottle Bay, for which Paul Jomain was also a puppet builder

Louise Gold and Nigel Plaskitt had previously puppeteered on The Secret Life Of Toys (which had a few thematic similarities), and, which Peter Coogan was also a producer on

Nigel Plaskitt, Louise Gold, Mark Jefferis, and, Gillie Robic all puppeteered on Muppet Treasure Island, which Peter Coogan was also a producer on.

Nigel Plaskitt, and, Louise Gold had previously puppeteered on Mopatop’s Shop, which Angus Fletcher, Peter Coogan were also producers on, and Mellie Buse was a writer on, and Paul Jomain built puppets for.

Nigel Plaskitt also directed his puppeteering colleague Louise Gold’s cabaret act LOUISE GOLD....By Appointment, and on at least one occasion he helped out by puppeteering on it himself. For that act Paul Jomain built a couple of puppets.

Louise Gold and Mark Jefferis had previously appeared together (as actors) in Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (Touring Production).

Louise Gold, Mark Jefferis, and, Nigel Plaskitt contributed to the documentary Best Ever Spitting Image.

Louise Gold, and, Nigel Plaskitt went on to puppeteer on That Puppet Game Show.

Critics Comments

Links about Five Minutes More

Official Programme Site: http://www.abc.net.au/children/fiveminutesmore/parents/about/default.htm

Entry On Nigel Plaskitt’s website: http://www.nigelplaskitt.com/FMM.xml

Paul Jomain’s website pictures: http://www.pauljomain.biz/PJ/Gallery_1.html (includes some from Five Minutes More, including him building Florrie)

Wikipedia Entry for the series: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_Minutes_More_(TV_series)

C21Media article about the series: http://www.c21media.net/news/detail.asp?area=4&article=32056

The Age’s article about the series: http://www.theage.com.au/news/tv--radio/taking-a-softly-softly-approach/2006/08/17/1155407952779.html?page=fullpage

 Agency Licensing Campaign (article in The Stage): http://www.thestage.co.uk/news/newsstory.php/31022/theatre-stars-back-campaign-for-talent-agency, and Online Petition (which anyone who supports it can sign): http://www.gopetition.com/petition/41085.html , seeing as Nigel Plaskitt is among the performers supporting this worthy campaign.

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