David Walliams talks about Awful Auntie, coming to Bradford Alhambra

To youngsters, he’s best known as the author of much-loved children’s books including Robodog, Mr Stink, Grandpa’s Great Escape and the soon-to-be-released Astrochimp.

David began writing books in 2008 and they’ve been translated into 55 languages, selling millions of copies worldwide.

Now he’s teamed up with the award-winning Birmingham Stage Company for a new production of his family adventure Awful Auntie, heading for Bradford this month. It’s their latest collaboration, following shows including the Oliver Award-nominated Gangsta Granny and Billionaire Boy.

Awful Auntie is the story of Stella Saxby, the sole heir to Saxby Hall, whose Aunt Alberta is determined to steal her inheritance 

Neal Foster as Aunt Alberta (Image: Mark Douet)

* David - Awful Auntie is your fourth book adapted by Birmingham Stage Company. How involved are you?

“Neal Foster is a writer, director, actor, and with this piece he adapted the book, directed it and he’s staring in it...a very humble man! We initially have a chat, I see the designs, costumes, sets and I watch rehearsals and come when the show opens, but I do know that he completely knows what he’s doing. I’ve had adaptations before and if you’re working with the right people you don’t have to worry, and you need to give them some freedom to make their own decisions. You can’t be breathing down someone’s neck the whole time while they’re trying to be creative.

“I have done things in theatre, but Neal knows it a lot better than me. Obviously, I want it to be faithful to the book, but he’s very good at it and I think those who’ve read the book will probably want to see it. He follows the story closely but has really imaginative solutions to areas of the storytelling.

“The Birmingham Stage Company are the kings of doing family shows. I trust them 100per cent with it. With this story in particular you have to be very imaginative with moving it to the stage because it’s a book on a big scale. You’ve got a ghost, a killer owl, a car chase, all kinds of things, so you need to be really inventive. The show has to be spectacular, funny and thrilling - I’ve seen it already and it is all of those things.”

David Walliams says he trusts Birmingham Stage Company '100 per cent' with adapting his book (Image: Charlie Clift)

* Have you ever been tempted to play one of the roles on the stage?

“Seeing it all again, I’ve realised what an amazing part Aunt Alberta is. It’s a female part played by a man so one day I would like to play her. I can’t commit to a production for practical reasons like being a dad and having to do other things, but one day I’d like to.

“I don’t want to be too egotistical about it because if there is someone better to play it than me then they should play it. A book by David Walliams staring David Walliams...oh God! There is something special about sitting in an audience and getting to experience your story while hearing the laughter, gasps, applause, all those things that would not be the same if you were on stage.”

* When working on a book, do you think how it could be on stage?

“Normally when I’m writing I’m thinking about them as films. But I like creating larger than life characters who I think are very suited to the stage because it’s hyper real in plays and characters can talk to the audience. You want to boo the baddie, so I get a kick out of creating characters like Aunt Alberta.

“The villains are some of the best characters, they drive the story. Something I learnt from reading Roahl Dahl was that if you can make your villains equally funny and scary then you’re probably on the right path because I think kids like it that way. Miss Trunchbull is the ultimate comic villain for me because she does surreal things like spinning girls around by their pigtails. In Awful Auntie there’s a giant owl called Wagner who can fly after Stella, the heroine, pick her up and fly off with her as if she’s a bit of prey.

“It’s fun to come up with these things that are pretty surreal and still scary but within safe boundaries. Kids like that, it’s quite fun to be scared; not in a way that’s going to upset you, just in a way that’s going to thrill you.”

* As your son gets older is he a sounding board for characters and ideas?

“For sure, we talk about ideas when we’re at the park and sometimes he gives me great ideas; he gave me the title and idea for Mega Monster. He’s great to take to the shows and see what he’s laughing at and if he’s enjoying it or not. I show him things, like does he like this cover? This artwork? Does he think the idea is exciting? All those things.

“I have to listen to my own instinct, because it’s not like he’s my super fan or anything, I’m his dad. It’s not that he’s chomping at the bit for the next story or he’s going to say ‘It’s brilliant dad’, but it’s good to gauge his reaction, because kids don’t fake it.”

* As an actor, did you do regional theatre while starting out?

“Sort of yeah. Me and Matt Lucas started our first show in Edinburgh in 1995. Matt recently sent me a picture of Jackson’s Lane Community Centre which was our very first gig and he said ‘Wow, 29 years ago’. That’s how long we’ve been in each others’ lives! We did a show in Edinburgh and took it on to art centres and little theatres. Then we did a Little Britain tour on a much bigger scale. I rather liked that. What I like is the further you get from London, generally the noisier the audiences are. There’s more of an identity. London is so vast you don’t have the same feeling.”

* What’s next for you? Are we going to see you back on TV?

“Me and Matt are working on a new show together, with new characters. So that’s exciting. I’m working on a cartoon series of Gangsta Granny and writing a movie screenplay of Slime for Nickelodeon. There’s also a film of Fing from one of my books, all kinds of things. That’s one of the incredible things about writing books - the book is not the end. There are different ways people can enjoy the stories. I’m not precious, I’m used to collaborating; when you make a TV show it’s very collaborative, you have actors, directors, producers, script editors and so many more. There will always be the book, but the other experiences - be it a play, a TV series, a film - gives it chance to take on a bit more life.

“There needs to be the spirit, the story needs to be right, the characters need to be consistent but there needs to be some surprises there as well.”

* Awful Auntie is at the Alhambra, May 23-25. Call (01274) 432000 or visit bradford-theatres.co.uk. Suitable for ages five-plus.