Mog’s Christmas director explains festive Channel 4 animation’s appeal
Robin Shaw and the film's narrator Adjoa Andoh spoke about why Judith Kerr's story makes for such perfect Christmas viewing.
If you're looking for something festive and heartwarming to watch this Christmas, you'll be hard pressed to find something which fits the bill more than Mog's Christmas.
The new Channel 4 animated short film is based on the book of the same name by Judith Kerr, and tells the story of a family cat Mog, struggling to get used to changes at Christmas. It features an all-star voice cast including Claire Foy, Benedict Cumberbatch, Miriam Margolyes, Maggie Steed, Zawe Ashton and more.
However, according to the film's director Robin Shaw, its appeal lies not in any of its bells and whistles, such as its blend of modern animation techniques in a classical style, but in its "domesticity".
Speaking at a Q&A for the film, Shaw said: "For me, and I realised this after we'd made it actually, it's the domesticity of it. There's nothing supernatural going on, there's nothing involving great choirs of angels anywhere along the line. It's just about a cat who doesn't like all this mayhem at Christmas, and it's set in a home.
By entering your details, you are agreeing to our terms and conditions and privacy policy. You can unsubscribe at any time.
"That's what I really like about it, it reminds me of the domesticity of Christmases when I was small, and I think that will chime with a lot of kids when they watch it."
Meanwhile, Adjoa Andoh, who narrates the film, said that it was "obviously" an easy project to say yes to, and explained why.
Andoh said: "I grew up with Judith’s work and my kids grew up with Judith’s work. It's smart, it's funny. I played Judith’s mother in When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit on Radio 4. The Judith Kerr School is in my neighbourhood - I feel very embedded.
Read more:
- BBC unveils new Christmas idents including the Gruffalo and Tabby McTat
- Doctor Who confirms Christmas 2023 cast – including Davina McCall
"It was a delight to do. Robin is super fabulous at just bringing that all to life. His voice direction is terrific, really helpful. And we can all see how brilliant that is. The song and the music, the whole thing is really smart. It does all the things that I think good animation does, it embraces the whole family, there's gags for everybody.
"I'm looking at it going yes, visually, that's my era. That's what everything looked like. So I love that, but all generations can get can get stuff from it. So it's hugely warm and entertaining and God knows we need as many warm, entertaining things as we can get at the moment."
Mog's Christmas will air on Channel 4 in December. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to see what's on tonight.
Try Radio Times magazine today and get 10 issues for only £10 – subscribe now. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Authors
James Hibbs is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering programmes across both streaming platforms and linear channels. He previously worked in PR, first for a B2B agency and subsequently for international TV production company Fremantle. He possesses a BA in English and Theatre Studies and an NCTJ Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.
