Gatiss

You have taken on the roles of Bamber Gascoigne, Malcolm McLaren, Peter Mandelson and Larry Grayson. How do you deliver believable portrayals of such well-known figures? VerulamiumParkRangerI’ll start with the voice. Some are easier than others. I’ve just finished at the National Theatre, playing Sir John Gielgud, who sits very well in my voice. Larry Grayson was quite difficult. He’s deeper and rustier than you’d expect. The key to Malcolm McLaren was realising that he sounds like Larry the Lamb, strange and croaky.…

If you were going to invite anyone to your fantasy dinner party table, actor and writer Mark Gatiss would be perfect. He’d have some stories about the BBC’s The League of Gentlemen – perhaps letting us in on the secret of what exactly is Hilary Briss the butcher’s “special stuff” added ingredient. He could let you know what it’s like being Sherlock Holmes’ older brother Mycroft (and what their parents were thinking when they were dishing out forenames), after starring in and co-writing four series of Sherlock with Steven…