TV’s David Walliams became children’s literature’s David Walliams, then family theatre’s David Walliams. Demon Dentist, one of his 36 (!) books, is the latest to tread the boards, at Swansea Grand in this instance. Buzz’s Amy Wild spoke to him about all of it.

What can audiences expect from Demon Dentist?

David Walliams: Well, I went to see it yesterday in Manchester, and there were about a thousand schoolkids – I’ve never heard a noisier reaction to a show ever! The kids were so into it, and they loved all the yucky stuff and the little surprises. Kids probably don’t have a lot of experience in the theatre if they’re young because of the pandemic theatres were closed –It’s wonderful to experience a story in an audience.

What’s it like seeing your books come to life on stage?

David Walliams: I feel like a magician – it’s a wonderful feeling! It’s different from being on stage, which is a thrill on its own, but this is more like a dream that has come to life in front of you. It’s really extraordinary.

I’ve had this a few times where something I’ve written has gone to the stage, and it’s a real thrill because you are experiencing it with everyone else. If I was acting in it, I would be worried about what I was doing as a performer, so it’s just more about sitting back, relaxing and enjoying it like everyone else. But it is pretty incredible to think that it came from my imagination, and it’s in real life with actors, sets and costumes.

Did you have much involvement in the adaption process or casting?

David Walliams: Not in the casting but in the adaptation process – yes, with the script and things like that. I have been working with the Birmingham stage company now for quite a few years, and this is the fourth show as I did after Gangsta Granny, Billionaire Boy, Awful Auntie and now Demon Dentist. The same director, Neal Foster, has done all of these shows, so I trust him, and he’s done a really good job. I do get involved in the script, but he is the one who is responsible for putting the show on.

Does much get changed from the books to the stage?

David Walliams: Things have to get cut from time to time, or simplified, and jokes get added. It doesn’t get changed in a way that would make it unrecognisable, but when you adapt anything it can’t have the same number of scenes. Sometimes things work better on stage than they do on a page, but I’m used to collaborating from writing for TV, so I’m not worried about things changing as long as the story stays the same.

Have you ever considered getting into playwriting yourself?

David Walliams: I have, but the opportunity has never quite come around. I’m not going to become the next William Shakespeare! But I do like working on shows and especially musicals, like The Boy In The Dress; I’m writing a new musical at the moment.

What inspired you to start writing children’s books?

David Walliams: I just had an idea for a story [The Boy In The Dress]. I thought about what would happen if a boy went to school as a girl – How would his friends react? How would his family react? I thought this is a book about being different; maybe this is a story that would work well for kids and maybe they would respond really well to the theme. So I thought I would try.

I realised there is so much I could do in a book that I couldn’t do in a comedy sketch as you could develop the scenes over a period of time, you can also have emotional scenes, and the story can be longer. I realised I really loved it and there was so much to explore. From writing my first book, in 2008, I was hooked – I’m now on my 36th book.

What have you got coming up in the near future?

David Walliams: I am really excited about the production of Demon Dentist, which is touring the country for a whole year, and I’m also filming Gangster Granny Stikes Again which stars Sheridan Smith, Griff Rhys Jones and Maggie Steed. It’s a great cast – we’ve just finished filming today. We’ve done a Britain’s Got Talent Christmas specialwhich we filmed the other night, and I’m working on another musical with Robbie Williams, which is exciting!

I have got new books and scripts so there is plenty going on, and I’m working on some cartoon series as well. All kinds of things. I like being busy. It’s exciting when things are successful, and you can bring your work to a wider audience – it’s what you dream of.

What advice would you give to someone that wants to go down a similar career path to you?

David Walliams: The best thing you can do is start – start writing it! With anything like this, comedy or writing a book or auditioning on Britain’s Got Talent or whatever – you’ve got to go for it! Do it! You get better at it the more you do it, and you learn as you do it. That’s the only way to learn. You don’t magically become brilliant the first time you do anything.

If there is a story you want to tell just start, do it for yourself, and if you’re happy with it, show it to someone else. If you think it’s as good as it can possibly be, share it with someone in a professional capacity. Nothing can happen unless you do it. You won’t be sitting at home, and someone will ask you to write a book. You’ve got to do it yourself.

I’ve been lucky in my career, but you have to be self-reliant. If I had just waited for someone to give me a job as an actor, I wouldn’t have got any. If it comes from you – you are in control of it. It’s not something you can sit around, wait for someone to wave a magic wand and it will happen for you.

Demon Dentist, Grand Theatre, Swansea, Wed 2-Sat 5 Nov

Tickets: £17-£28. Info: here

words AMY WILD