When Puppets Play Boggle
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This week's is the sixth episode of Mongrels, and keen-eyed viewers will have noticed by now that it has puppets in it.
I have some previous experience of writing dialogue for lifeless objects, having scripted for Nev the Bear and [NAME OF ACTOR DELETED ON LEGAL ADVICE]. But eight half-hours of adult puppet comedy was a new challenge for all of the writing team, and we had some fairly basic questions, like: can they move their eyes from side to side? Can they swallow things? Do they have feet? And are we allowed to speak to them at the wrap party?
The puppeteers told us: ask the puppets to do whatever you want. And if it's impossible to achieve we'll let you know.
So we wrote scenes where puppets fight with their heads cut off, fire themselves into the sky strapped to rockets, get impaled on spikes, fall off the roof, explode, go cross-eyed, climb trees, have sex, catch fire, swim, disco dance, morris dance, riverdance, play Boggle, play boules, shoot pool, get fat, ride motorbikes and physically assault Scott Mills. All of which the production team took on without complaint. But when I wrote a scene where a puppet has to climb out of bed, the director looked at me like I was insane. "Are you insane?" he said. (They did it though, in episode eight)
Another bit of direction the puppeteers gave us was not to shy away from emotional moments. These puppets can convey all sorts of complex psychological nuance with a single look, they told us.
We kind of ignored them. I mean, it's puppets, yeah? They've got ping pong balls for eyes and sticks attached to their paws; they ain't going to be doing high drama.
But we were entirely wrong about that. There are moments where Nelson expresses a world of heartbreak just by flexing his ears back, or Vince delivers a threat by slowly closing one eyelid, and for me these are the best bits of the series. There's a scene this week where Nelson realises his new bride has been involved in a freak accident and... hang on, sorry... I- I think I've got something in my eye...
Catch Mongrels tonight at 10.30pm on ±«Óãtv Three. Have you tried the Mills and Mongrels Challenge yet?
Comment number 1.
At 27th Jul 2010, U14538156 wrote:I am an and I've spent many years doing voice-overs for puppets - or, should I say, puppets did "body-overs" for my voice.
Nevertheless, throughout that time I always felt as though I was the only one really being treated like a puppet.
Puppets don't have feelings - well most of them don't - but actors do!
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Comment number 2.
At 27th Jul 2010, TankedWater wrote:I actually felt sorry for Nelson a few times already - in the ep where Destiny says she wants to be with him, but then she laughs at him, and straight afterwards his 'son' gets killed! Seems like the writers have it in for poor Nelson considering all he's been through so far. Every ep has his life threatened and/or him being rejected by a woman. Seems like this ep tonight is no different. Hopefully in episode 8 something good will happen to him. Bohodotcom care to elaborate?
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Comment number 3.
At 9th Aug 2010, fffffffion wrote:I love Nelson!!!! xxx I hate Destiny she plays with Nelson's emotions all the time!!!! I think Nelson is WAY to good for Destiny. One episode Vince, Nelson, Marion and Kali should tell Destiny how horrible she is!!!! xxx :D
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