Dan Skinner interview
Dan Renton Skinner talks about why he joined the Horrible Histories cast to play Peter, the husband of lead character Debbie.
Hi Dan. What attracted you to Yonderland?
The scripts were hilarious and it's something both adults and children will love. It's just good family entertainment. I know the Horrible Histories guys, they're great actors and it's fabulous to be a part of it.
During the read-through, I kept thinking it was like Time Bandits, going into another world and having adventures, a massive bit of escapism with cool gags and really funny characters. Using puppets gives it so much more warmth as well, rather than them being computer-generated.
How did you get involved with the show? You've been in other shows with the HH actors?
We were in a couple of the same shows, but didn't really share any scenes. I first met Mat Baynton when we did a live sketch show together in the West End, and I know Martha Howe-Douglas, in fact, all of the guys, from the comedy circuit. It's quite small and everybody knows everybody from years and years of gigging.
Tell us more about your character Peter...
Peter is married to Debbie, the lady who enters Yonderland via the cupboard in the kitchen. He is a hapless husband, oblivious to everything that's going on and he has no idea about his wife's other life. He'd do anything for Debbie and the kids, though.
I was going to call him boring, but I don't think he is boring. He's the most real thing, character-wise, that I've done.
You're perhaps best known as Angelos Epithemiou. Is it refreshing to play the straight man?
It's great. People seem to think I'm afraid of putting a suit on, so to be given the opportunity was genuinely lovely for me. I got on really well with Martha too, and I think people will watch it and go, 'yes, I believe those two are a couple'.
What comedies do you like to watch?
My favourite stand-up comedian of all time is Steve Martin. He is just hilarious. I like idiots, so obviously Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer as well. I used to watch them on TV and think, 'wow, I've got to do that, I've got to somehow be involved in this', and then 20 years later, it happened. I like daft stuff.
Being a writer yourself, did you ever feel like pitching in when you were filming?
You can pitch in with ideas for characters and what the character would say, but you can't get involved in plot points. This was so well written and it was a treat to interpret somebody else's words as an actor would. I was happy to say the words.