Voicing Danger Mouse, a chat with the new cast!
Revisiting a classic animation and adding a modern twist was always going to be a tricky job. One of the most recognisable features of original Danger Mouse is the vocal work of David Jason, Terry Scott and Edward Kelsey who play the tireless trio of Danger Mouse, Penfold and Colonel K who battle and bungle their way through gag packed scripts to ensure the safety of the United Kingdom. With such classics still revered the new cast have a tough job convincing the audience that they are fit for the job.
Whilst it would be easy for fans of the classic series to complain that the voices sound slightly different, like James Bond and Doctor Who iconic British characters are sometime subject to a cast change, and with it a new twist on what we know and love. The new series of Danger Mouse is no exception and through the new cast and crew this old favourite is revived with the right enthusiastic gusto to ensure it becomes something for old and new generations to enjoy.
Speaking of the cast, step forward Alexander Armstrong, Kevin Eldon and Shauna Macdonald, who play Danger Mouse, Penfold and newcomer Prof. Skwalkencluck, the gadget master who provides DM with the tools to get the job done. Settling into the script and characters is not easy task given the expectation placed on the casts shoulder by eager fans of the earlier series as the cast explain…
Alexander Armstrong as Danger Mouse
Kevin Eldon – People are possessive about old stuff, especially stuff that belongs to their childhood and you can understand that because you don’t want it to be “Scrappy Doo” coming back and doing something horrible to something that was brilliant, but I think the people who worked on this were respectful of the original thing and were as it has hauled itself into the 21st century it hasn’t done so at the expense of the original spirit. There may be high tech stuff but it was always a gadget based show, as far as the original was concerned it was always as technologically recent as it could be so it makes perfect logical sense that it has technological innovation that it has now.
Whilst the shadow of the old cast loomed over the new cast, the producers never had an intention for the cast to just impersonate the old cast, but as with all levels of production on this show, the cast naturally found a way to give Danger Mouse a new voice without abandoning all that was loved about the old.
Alexander Armstrong – I think we knew enough about our knowledge and love for danger mouse and I looked at again before I knew I had the part to make sure I was in the loop. I suppose you have enough of a resonance of the original in you.
Kevin Eldon voices Penfold
KE – Credit to the producers when we went along to the casting they said “we’re not looking for reproductions of the original voices” so when I went home I tried different voices, I tried a low one, western accent, northern accent and a Scottish accent – a very bad one! And when it came down to it I thought, he’s got to be high pitched because he is a small guy but Terry scott did such a good job and I think the only thing I might have changed is that Terry Scott’s Penfold is sometimes a little bit posh so I might have made mine a little different to that, Terry suited that character.
The high quite fast delivery of Penfold and the low slow delivery of Danger Mouse is such a nice contrast, that was in the original and it’d be a shame to loose that.
Original DM David Jason often recalls knowing if he was reading the script right if he saw director Brian Cosgrove wiping the tears from his glasses from the laughter. As seasoned performers, we asked the new cast how the performance of DM and Penfold came together in the recording booth.
AA- I think you have to have a lot more energy, even in radio drama you can play it straight but if you play this, any other way that energised, even if it is just saying “Penfold” it has to have a big delivery. I suppose they do it a little bit in the Archers. You learn, the first time you every see it back, subsequently we were throwing ourselves around in the booth, four episodes is just about as many as we could fit in, there is a lot of energy and movement that has to go into everything, it’s a very kenetic experience watching it.
KE – What’s nice about it, is that everything is so rushed in telly today and because things are done on a low budget in a very short period of time you just get it done. But with this we had the luxury to try lots of different takes and stresses when delivering lines. Not only could we get it right but we could also give the animators a lovely choice as well. We could be on half a page for 20 minutes or half an hour and get different takes on each line, that’s great because you know out of that lot something good will come out of it.
AA – But it took it out of you didn’t it! That voice is tough, four episodes is as many as you could do.
KE – Yeah in a day, it is like singing an hour and a half of little Richard songs so I can’t do it anymore than that otherwise my voice would go! Lots of ginger tea was taken.
Shauna Macdonald bring a new face to the classic lineup and fits right into the cast as Prof. Skwalkencluck, we quizzed her about bringing a new character to the established cast.
Shauna Macdonald is Prof. Skwalkencluck
Shauna Macdonald – Skwalkencluck was a German professor in the original, I started from my own voice and played around with it. In my audition I gave them an impression as to what I could offer. They mad eme wait about two month whist deciding and for the audition I had to turn into a chicken, so I thought I’d made a fool out of myself for nothing! The references they played me for Skwalkencluck were American and so I had to adapt them to my voice, it’s a different rhythm and they wanted her to be energetic, bossy, clever and knowing what she wants and needs when Danger Mouse doesn’t give her what she wants and what she needs.
AA – Danger Mouse adores here! I think theres a mutual respect there
SM – I don’t know if she does respect him
AA – I think she knows but he is always heartbroken when he thinks that she is in trouble.
SM – I’ve three daughters so it’s important for me for them to see strong female figures, also in that vein it’s important to be a female character that is listened to and isn’t just narky and perceived to be moaning, because as soon as a female says something it is taken on board slightly differently, so there is a really fine balance. I think we got it with Skwalk, I think the girls will love her, and the boys will also!
The brand new series of Danger Mouse screens on the CBBC channel today from 6pm. Join Skwigly all week as we go behind the scenes on the series with extended crew interviews.