The first thing that struck me about theYonderlandjunket was the smell.
Branches masked the staircase, and there were puppets everywhere.
It was a bit overwhelming although at least I knew I was in the right place.
Heres what they had to say about their new show…
Tell us a bit aboutYonderland.
Larry Rickard:It is a comedy a fantasy comedy for a family audience.
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Ben Willbond:Thats very well put.
LR:Thats the most succinct way of putting it.
Its quite rare with groups.
BW:So we decided to keep the group together.
Like inHorrible Histories, it looks like everyones playing various different characters inYonderland?
Surely I shouldve had a beard change by now?
What was it like working with the puppets?
LR:We were very lucky with the group of puppeteers wed got.
BW:They were really skilled.
It does come with its own peculiar constraints, and its weird.
And then you say, great, and at the end can it just run across the forest?
and theyll say You want it to run across a forest?
Thatll take two hours.
So sometimes it makes things slower, but when you see it on screen, its all worth it.
LR:Also, having practical effects and practical characters, theres a reaction that you get.
Theres a wonderful one in episode eight with Neil, one of the demons.
Hes so upset and its brilliant.
You could spend millions of pounds on a CGI character and never get that.
And then you find yourself talking to the puppet instead of the puppeteer.
They take direction and they talk through the puppets and its really weird but you get used to it.
Family comedy is notoriously difficult to get right, but do you think that coming fromHorrible Historiesis helpful?
BW:I think actually, in the group, we have learned what works and what the boundaries.
Youre just saying to the family audience, join in the fun.
LR:Yeah, its something we found by accident.
The parents were going Do you know our favourite character?
I think we found that quite inclusive tone.
BW:Yeah, so going into this we knew what we wanted the tone to be.
Its about being inclusive and having fun.
I think the puppets were part of that.
Which characters do you think your audience will look back on nostalgically when they grow up?
LR:If they remember any of them, well be very grateful!
Are there any that spring to mind that have that kind of classic appeal?
LR:Yeah, I tend to agree.
Did you feel like kids again when you were filming?
Always do, on set!
LR:You do, you regress, you mess around.
because you know itll make someone laugh.
And then its like can I have the big sword, c’mon?
Were you mindful of not giving the puppets all the best lines?
BW:No, the puppets get the best lines, its great!
I just go do you want some, mate?
And he just stands there, and this little puppet goes Bring it.
Its just those delightful little moments.
So is there much improv, then?
It was never like that.
You wouldnt write that, but those moments are rewarding for us as writers.
Because you’re free to take credit for them.
Its great because some of the funniest things are just from someone trying to make you laugh.
Im the worst for corpsing.
LR:Youre easily brought down!
Jim [Howick] is the worst culprit, I think.
What was the writing process like, then?
Everyone is fighting for the same…
I dont want to call it a product.
LR:Common goal.
BW:Common goal!
LR:Common product.
So that was interesting, I think that was the first time Id done something like that.
So which of your characters causes the most problems for your hero, Debbie?
BW:Every character causes problems, thats the whole issue!
LR:The idea is its someone from our world whos got skills that seem very commonplace to them.
Every episode has a different ridiculous challenge and normally, she can see how its solved very early on.
The problem is getting everyone else to realise and accept it.
Its so exciting and fun, so she takes the upside and downside together.
Did you get to steal any props?
I was there literally holding a prop at the end of the show.
But thats the only one we got.
It sounds like you had a great time.
LR:It was an awful lot of hard work but it was so much fun to do.
BW:That was quite extraordinary, going into a studio and seeing a forest.
Do you think this might create a new audience out of people that arent really into fantasy stuff?
Hopefully people will give it a go.
BW:I hope that people like it enough to be able to map that world for us.
A lot of people are into that and I hope that someone will someday present us with it.
BW:We didnt want any rules on the universe, I guess.
You just go through toYonderlandand then anything can happen.
Its a fantasy world, so anything can happen.
LR:Within our very tight schedule.
Would you like to do another series?
LR:Yeah, weve already started talking about it.
As soon as we had a lunch break, were like you know what would be fun?
Negatus should have a bookkeeper.
But you know, one step at a time.
We just want people to laugh.
Anything else would be a bonus.
Yonderland starts on Sky1 on Sunday 10 November.
