Maddigan's Quest

Infobox Television
show_name = Maddigan's Quest


caption = The cast of "Maddigan's Quest"
format = Science fiction, Fantasy
runtime = 30 Minutes
creator = Margaret Mahy
Gavin Strawhan
Rachel Lang
producer = Simon Bennett
starring = Rose McIver
Jordon Metcalfe
Zac Fox
Rawiri Pene
Danielle Cormack
Tim Balme
Olivia Tennet
Rachel House
Mark Nua
Hori Ahipene.
country = NZ
network = CBBC
TV3
first_aired = January 26, 2006
last_aired = February 16, 2006
num_episodes = 13

"Maddigan's Quest" was a fantasy-based television series set in a post-apocalyptic future. It was based on an original concept by Margaret Mahy and was developed for television by Gavin Strawhan and Rachel Lang. The show originally screened on CBBC in the UK, and was also aired on TV3 in New Zealand, Family Room HD from Voom Networks HD (USA) and Nine Network (Australia) in early 2006.

Storyline

Early in the 22nd century, the world underwent a vast and rapid change. The tectonic plates of the Earth began to shift and rapidly changed the face of the planet. Since then, the events of this time have grown to be known as the time of the "Great Shift" or the "Great Chaos"- and have become myth and legend. As a result of these events, the population of Earth severely dropped and little remained of the old ways. While some forms of old technology exist, the ways of man have receded. Slavery is not uncommon, bandits roam the highways.

"Maddigan’s Quest" follows the circus troop ‘Maddigan’s Fantasia’, who come from the city of Solis. Each year, the Fantasia leave Solis to perform and earn a living, but this year is different: they have been set the task of obtaining a new Solar Converter to replace the existing converter – the only power source in Solis – which is failing. At the centre of this quest is 14-year-old Garland, the final member of the Maddigan family line.

During the Fantasia's journey, two boys and their baby sister appear from the future. But while the younger brother, Eden, seems to be a blessing to the performers with his illusionary skills, his older brother Timon is hiding a dark secret which threatens the Fantasia, their mission, and the future of Solis itself.

Cast

*Zac Fox - Eden
*Rose McIver - Garland
*Jordan Metcalfe - Timon
*Michael Hurst - Maska
*Peter Daube - Ozul
*Rawiri Pene - Boomer
*Bronwyn Baker - Byrna
*Timothy Balme - Yves
*Ben Cooper - Nye
*Danielle Cormack - Maddie
*Ross Duncan - The Nennog
*Fleur Saville - Silver Girl
*Rachel House - Goneril
*Olivia Tennet - Lilith
*Hori Ahipene - Tane
*Jack Campbell - Ferdy
*Mark Nua - Bannister
*Paul Barrett - Brewer

DVD Releases

*A Region 1 encoded DVD of the complete series was released in late 2006.

*"2|Entertain", a UK-based company, has released a Region 2 encoded DVD set of the complete series.

*A 2-disc Region 4 DVD set of the series was released in New Zealand and Australia.

Awards

At the Air New Zealand Screen Awards on August 1 2007, "Maddigan's Quest" won four awards:

* Best Children's Programme
* Contribution to design (Tracey Collins - Costume Designer)
* Original Music (Victoria Kelly)
* Contribution to Sound Design (Carl Smith, Rodney Larsen and Steve Finnegan)

It also won the Best Dramatic Presentation - Long Form Award at the 2007 Sir Julius Vogel Awards for New Zealand science fiction and fantasy.

Tie-ins

"Maddigan's Fantasia" is novel written by Margaret Mahy as a tie-in for the BBC show Maddigan's Quest (based on her concept). [http://www.harpercollins.co.nz/books/bestsellers/title.cfm?ISBN=1869505611&Author=MAHY_MARGARET&Area=Best_NZ]

The circus troupe "Maddigan's Fantasia" are on a mission to get a new solar converter from Newton for their hometown Solis. But on the way there, the Fantasia meet two strange boys from Timon and Eden. They are from the future and have come to help the Fantasia because when the Fantasia don't get back to Solis in time then the council give up on them and take a new path, a radiation path. Timon and Eden's parents were killed because an evil monster called the Nennog rules Solis in the future and their parents tried to work out a way to change the past. They created a time slider, but they were killed for it, so Timon and Eden did the job for them and then they saved the Fantasia and Solis was saved.

External links

* [http://maddigansquest.com/ Official site; requires flash]
*Tv.com show|id=52838|title=Maddigan's Quest
*imdb title|id=0456104