What can I possibly say about the magnificent Andrew Sachs? His performance as Skagra is an absolute delight. You'll find that it's very different from the interpretation of the character in the 1979 production, but it's every bit as vivid and villainous.
As you'd expect from such a veteran of voice work, Andrew's performance is incredibly precise and perfectly judged: there's nothing this man doesn't know about microphone technique. A charming man and a terrific actor, he was irrepressibly inventive and witty in the studio, forever coming up with new ideas and variations on the nuances of Skagra's lines.
It was Andrew's idea that Skagra should be uncertain of the exact meaning of Earth expressions like 'please' and 'cycling' and 'Do you need a lift?'. He was, in short, a joy to work with, and it was a sad moment when he finished his final scene. When I saw Paul McGann again recently, one of the first things he said was 'Wasn't Andrew Sachs just wonderful?'
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