Mongrels: sitting in bins
There are a lot of great things about being an actor. The bouquets of flowers, the floppy velvet hats, the golden taps flowing with the finest champagne the licence fee can buy - though if Jeremy Hunt is reading this, I should point out I'm joking; at most it's the second finest champagne. One of the bad things, though, is all the standing around while other actors speak. Not being the absolute centre of attention? It's kryptonite to any actor worth his salt. And, as my agent assures me, only really good actors are paid in salt.
Marion, the cat of indeterminate nationality that I voice on Mongrels, spends a lot of time sitting in a bin while Nelson and Destiny (the feral animal's Tim and Dawn) get on with some quality acting. Now, if I'd actually had to be there, I'd have chewed my leg off with boredom. Standing around? In a bin? Not saying anything? I might as well have been an extra - and not a Ricky Gervais-style extra who seems to be able to talk to Kate Winslet without getting tazered. I'm a bloody actor and I can't get within 500 feet of her. Legally. But here's the beautiful thing about puppets. They do all the sitting around in the bin for you. While Rufus Jones and Lucy Montgomery (the feral animal's Tim and Dawn) were recording whatever it is they say (I only listen to my bits) I was sitting on a sofa outside the recording studio reading Cloud Atlas and shouting at a runner that my frappucino was insufficiently frapped. I didn't have to sit in a bin once. I didn't even have to visit the Isle of Dogs - and any job where I don't have to visit the Isle of Dogs is as good as a Bafta.
So let's hear it for the puppets. Without them I'd have had to sit in a bin.
Listen to the voice of Dan Tetsell as Marion in Tuesday night's Mongrels at 11pm on 91Èȱ¬ Three. Dan is also script editor for Newsjack, the Radio 7 sketch show.
Comment number 1.
At 20th Jul 2010, TankedWater wrote:Marion is really funny and all of the voicework done on the show is great - it really brings the characters to life, as well as the puppetry of course. I think my fav scene with Marion is in episode 2. 'I will never go near catnip'...'but all the cool cats are taking it'...2 seconds later he's off his head. Great stuff.
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Comment number 2.
At 9th Aug 2010, fffffffion wrote:I think Marion has so many great lines it's hard to pick which one i like the best probably in episode 3 when Lollipop and Marion are about to get it on and he says "the grass is on the wicket so let us commence to play cricket" classic! xxx
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Comment number 3.
At 13th Aug 2010, paul87 wrote:I loved that episode - 'you touched me'...'yes, and seriously we can't tell anyone about that. Also 'don't you want to lick your lollipop?' So wrong yet so hilarious.
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Comment number 4.
At 21st Sep 2010, U14580609 wrote:This blog has a lot to answer for. Dan Tetsell's repeated references to animals spending a lot of time sitting in bins were clearly the inspiration for the 'cat-in-bin' event which got Coventry bank worker Mary Bale into such trouble, suggesting as it does that it is perfectly normal for a cat to spend many hours sitting in a bin. I hope someone has forwarded this to her as a possible defence.
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Comment number 5.
At 25th Sep 2010, TankedWater wrote:I agree with Vince...especially since in one episode Marion is in a bin and a brick is put on the lid trapping him. Oh and also after watching this clip:
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Comment number 6.
At 6th Oct 2010, U14580609 wrote:I was sniffing round the local Asda at 4 o'clock in the morning and I couldn't help noticing a large blue wheelie bin with "Cats Protection League" written on the side but on inspection it turned out to be empty. If Mary Bale has one in her local supermarket then she's home and dry.
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Comment number 7.
At 6th Oct 2010, TankedWater wrote:Haha Vince seriously? Maybe she got confused then huh? Any recommendations for good bins to dumpster dive in? Cheaper than going to the shops and buying the food as long as it's all in the wrappers.
Anyway, I reckon Mongrels predicated the 'Mary Bale incident' just like some programmes in the US predicted 9/11 - I mean the whole topic of this blog is about Marion spending a lot of time in bins...
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Comment number 8.
At 28th Feb 2011, TheRealDerelict wrote:THe Mary Bale incident does look very like what happened to Marion
but the clipalso looks very like the fox stuck up the top of the Shard in London.
Perhaps that's where Vince off the Mongrels blog /blogs/comedy/2010/08/the-six-commandments-of-mongrels.shtml went after the 91Èȱ¬ got rid of him? Hopefully he'll be back for series 2.
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