Actor going against his first instinct

Press, 26 September 1988, Page 19

Actor going against his first instinct

For actor Rik Mayall, the role of Alan B’Stard in “The New Statesman” represents a new comedy direction, though the star of such anarchic shows as “The Young Ones” and “Comic Strip” series does not regard it as a career' move. “I’ve never done anything just because I felt I should do it, but because I really wanted to,” says Mayall. “I know that some people will be , expecting B’Stard to be a similar role to Kevin Turvey, or Rick from ‘The Young Ones,’ but it isn’t. “I’m being used more as an actor than I have before and, for me, the experimentation in this series is acting straight in order to get much funnier laughs.”

The obvious difference to his former roles is that, in this character, he is not contorting his features, speaking in a silly voice, prancing about or breaking wind. That is due largely to the writers and director of the series. Mayall likes to make his characters ugly, but he was told to play this one cool. “So I’ve gone against my first instinct, if you like. But my instanct has been persuaded, by people who know what they are talking about, that it’s not infallible. “That’s something else I’ve learned — to take direction from people I respect.” “The New Statesman” screens tonight at 10 on Two.