Mark Williams
“ Even the biggest film actors will want to do theatre at some point, because that’s where most of us come from, there’s no substitute for being on stage with
actors, learning our lines and being ‘live’.
documentaries in there too! My heart lies in making the best of the words, whether they’re documentary words or theatre words, to entertain and educate, because teaching isn’t the only way to educate! A lot of it is to do with my essential curiosity, if someone says that they want me to play a part, I automatically say, “What? Why?” And then I investigate. Throughout my career – actually it’s not a career, it’s a collection of jobs [laughing] held together by hope and fear – quote me on that – I’ve been tired, but I’ve never been bored [laughing]. Fabulous answer!
As a fan of the Harry Potter films I have to bring them up, what is it like to be a part of something that’s so altogether magical? It was very similar to what’s happening here, in that nobody was particularly nominally in charge, well people are, but it’s very much a team effort and that makes it vital that you put your back into it. You can’t carry people in this business, they very quickly get elbowed out, which is great as it’s like being part of a tribe or regiment!
Was there a feeling at the time that you were all working on something that was going to be so special? No, people knew it was going to be good, I asked David Heyman, who was the originating producer, if he thought he’d make eight films and he said, “Nope”! You set off in good faith; sometimes the journey is more important than the destination.
Are you as an actor weary of becoming typecast or labelled? I read in an interview somewhere, which is always dodgy, as you can’t always trust what you read, that people saw you as a comedian instead of an actor after the Fast Show and it annoyed you? Yeah, those that didn’t watch anything else did, I just got bored of people saying that I was a comedian, it’s like calling a drummer a bass player – it’s fundamentally wrong [laughing]. Most of that was me getting annoyed with lazy journalists!
11 ”
How do you get into character for your per- formances? However you do it, it’s kind of yours, people have different rhythms, some stress about it and bring others in, some jump straight inside it and zip it up, you know those that can do it and those who can’t, that’s the definition of acting, the trick of being someone else.
Do you get nervous or have any special rituals before performing? Before he recorded his shows, Ronnie Barker used to eat sausage, egg and chips because he said it was ‘funny food’, [laughing] I think that’s great, but I don’t think I have any rituals.
You’re a Worcestershire lad, what do you love most about the area? I think what you most like best about where you’re from is the fact that you feel at home there and you also love the things that can make you mad or angry! [Laughing] I move around the world, but the Villa still have the capacity to make me angry! [Laughing]
If you hadn’t become an actor what do you think you would have been? Two possibilities, an academic and the other if it were ten years later than when it happened would be that I could have been a chef, same thing of detail, accuracy, memory, creativity, attention to detail and timing!
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