Interview with Kathleen Rose Perkins

27 April 2015

What attracted you to Ballot Monkeys?

What appealed was that the idea of it sounded really scary. I’m scared to death about this project – and that’s the biggest selling point for me. Andy and Guy are writing it on the fly because they want to be very topical and we’re shooting scenes on the day we air. I’m really excited to be doing something so off-the-cuff.

 

Can you please expand on that?

As an actor, you just have to trust the writer. My fate is in Andy and Guy’s hands, and they’re incredibly funny writers. The scariest and the most exciting part of the whole thing is the immediacy of it. I really hope it turns out well. If it doesn’t, at least I’ll have a great story!

 

How would you characterise Melanie?

She’s a very perky, sing-songy American political consultant for the Labour Party who thinks she knows a lot more than she actually does – which is perfect for me! But she still has balls to try and do it then the stakes are so high.

 

What other characteristics does she possess?

You have to have guts and confidence to do that job. Melanie seems to have those qualities, but she doesn’t really. She’s very similar in that to Carol, the character I play in Episodes. She seems to be in control, but behind the curtain it’s just one big mess. Carol is not a great person – she has a tendency to lie and manipulate. But she means well, and that’s why people like her because we all mean well, don’t we?

 

Do you think you could do Melanie’s job?

No. Giving advice has got to be a fascinating way to make a living, but I’d be the least likely person to be able to do that. I’m not a good advice giver because I don’t think I’m very smart. I always shy away from giving advice. My motto is: what do I know?

 

Are you looking forward to the fast turnaround?

Yes. There’ll be a lot of energy on set. I’m thrilled because I like shooting things quickly. Hopefully it’ll work very well. Let’s go do it!

 

Have you been mugging up on the Labour Party?

Yes, I’ve been following Ed Miliband on Facebook. Maybe I’ll get honorary citizenship after this, and at the next election I can vote!

 

Have you done a lot of other research?

Yes. I’ve just been filming a movie in Colombia, and while I was out there I read up a lot about British politics. Beforehand I was thinking, ‘What the heck is Parliament and where does the Queen stand in all of this’. Now I understand that you have a fascinating political system. I feel like I’ll come out of this project with a whole mass of new knowledge. I don’t know what I’ll do with it, but I’ll certainly be better at Trivial Pursuit!