Interview with Miriam Margolyes who plays the Aunt

12 December 2023

Are you a cat person? 

Very much so.  I have 2 cats in Italy, Abu & Tilly (Attila) brother & sister. They are typical cats, controlling the whole house, day and night. Both kill birds and lizards and think it pleases us. It’s the only time I hate them. 

Why did you want to get involved with Mog’s Christmas? 

I enjoy doing voices for animation. I can use my vocal skills and create a voice to fit the brief. Mog has a powerful personality; I recognised the truth of that. 

How familiar were you with Judith’s work? 

I knew and loved The Tiger Who Came To Tea. But I have no children and hadn’t read any of her other work.

Do you see much of yourself in the aunt (and vice versa)?

 I think all old ladies are a bit similar but I made Aunt rather more upper-class than I am and slightly more cantankerous.

What resonates about the story and the character of Mog for you? 

Mog is a recognizable cat personality. So I enjoy the truth of that and the illustrations are superb.

Why have Judith’s stories endured? What is the magic ingredient in her writing?

Judith Kerr has the Dickens touch; she invents a whole world and invites you to share it.  The characters feel real and the animals are people.

Will you be watching this at Christmas?

No. I watch only old variety shows and crime series at Christmas-and the Royal Speech.

Are you a Christmassy person? 

Absolutely not.  I detest Christmas. People spending money they don’t have buying useless present for people they don’t like-and eating too much. Women working too hard for ungrateful family members.

You do an enormous amount of voiceover work – what do you enjoy about it? What particular skills does it require? 

Voice work started me off as an actress. In 1965, I joined the BBC Drama Repertory Company. I am not limited vocally as I am physically so I have a wide range of possible characters to offer.  And the nature of voice work depends on detail.  Using the minutest variations and changes, one can show age, class, region, all emotions, miraculously directed straight into the auditors’ ears. If you have a sensitive engineer, you can people a whole world with one performer. Voices carry a great deal and I love the challenge. 

What would you like audiences to take away from Mog’s Christmas? 

I hope they will see how joy can be found in small things.

What’s next for you? 

In February, I’m off to New Zealand firstly, to make a lovely film Holy Day, playing a nun, rather different from Mother Mildred (in Call the Midwife). Joanna Scanlan and Judy Davis are also in the cast, two actresses I deeply admire. And following that, to make a documentary about New Zealand. My second book, Oh Miriam! came out in September and the Book Tour which followed it has given me a hunger to return to a live audience. So I’m hoping to do a Fringe show at the Edinburgh Festival.