| Iris Krell | |
|---|---|
| |
| Actor | Mark Gatiss |
| Appearances | |
| Programme | The League of Gentlemen |
| Series | 1, 2 |
| First appearance | "The Road to Royston Vasey" |
| Last appearance | "Royston Vasey and the Monster from Hell" |
| Other appearances | The League of Gentlemen: Live at Drury Lane |
| Information | |
| Marital status | Married |
| Occupation | Cleaner for Judee Levinson Cashier Burlesque dancer at Flaps in Laps |
| Related characters | Judee Levinson (daughter) Pop (employer at Flaps in Laps) |
Iris Krell is the cleaner (and later revealed mother) of Judee Levinson. She lives a very different life to that of her boss, but is satisfied nonetheless. Iris spends a majority of her time either cleaning Judee Levinson's house or indulging in an insult battle that neither can truly win (though they do keep track of points).
Concept[]
Iris is based on Jeremy Dyson's mother's cleaner, who she would speak to about the opera. 'Irene' clearly didn't care much for it.
Iris appeared in the Radio Show with Judee Levinson - some of these sketches were intended to appear in Series One, but were deleted and reused in Series Two with new edits.
Appearance[]
Series One[]
Iris first appears in The Road to Royston Vasey. As she sets off to work, she catches one of her sons peeing outside and tells him off. She then goes to Mrs Levinson's house, where Judee is preparing for her holiday. She tells Iris what she has cancelled to come to the house, and what she hasn't (allowing for Iris to know when she has to pop by during the week). Iris then starts her work - as Judee talks away, she spits on the iron.
When sorting the washing, Iris comments on Judee's fancy clothes, stating that she doesn't get posh underwear due to Ron (her husband) wearing them out. Judee begins to attempt to change the subject, but Iris continues to talk about her sex life in extensive detail. If the deleted scenes for Series 1 had been used, Iris would have been seen wearing Judee's coat and enjoying the food and drink that was left in the house after the latter's departure.
Series Two[]
Iris first appears in Lust for Royston Vasey, working as a cashier at the local supermarket. She serves Alvin Steele who is preparing for a private party - there is a packet of nuts, Glacé cherries and about 12 bottles of baby oil (to which she gives him a saucy look).
In her second appearance, Death in Royston Vasey, Judee comes to Iris' home for her keys. The door is opened by her son, as she's unable to get the door. Judee gets him to let his mother know she's there, to which Iris comes hurrying down the stairs to invite Judee in. The living room is in quite a state, with her many children running rampant alongside two dogs and a cat. Judee talks about Iris' son Ricky (who is in jail) while Iris puts a bowl of pet food down (which her children then herd around and begin eating from). Judee asks Iris if she could do a few hours today because of her fears about the nosebleed epidemic before leaving.
Later on, while Iris is cleaning, Judee enters after her nap was interrupted by the German students playing football outside. She talks about everything being so expensive, and questions how Iris must feel coming to Judee's house (due to their differing social standings). Iris then brings up Judee's daughter, Nicola, who struggles with an eating disorder, growing increasingly pleased with herself as Judee is outwardly uncomfortable discussing the topic.
In the finale, Royston Vasey and the Monster from Hell, Iris is working on the till when Judee comes in to stock her drink cabinet. She mentions that bottles have started going missing, and comments on the fact that she knows that Iris is the one taking them as she describes witnessing some of the latter's drunken nights.
Later that day, Iris is cleaning the bathroom while Judee admires soaps that she's collected from her various holidays, throwing in a fair amount of insults to Iris. When she compares Ron to a shaved monkey, Iris finally has enough, and mentions that "At least my husband is still alive". Eddy is revealed to have been dead for twenty years, and had been bankrupt prior to his death - when Judee goes on her 'lavish' holidays, she's actually been going to a local hotel. Judee breaks down as Iris continues to torment her, calling her an old hag with hot flashes, and when Judee asks where this leaves them Iris says "3 all". Judee then runs into Iris' arms, calling her Mum, and Iris comforts her.
Christmas Special[]
Iris appears briefly in Charlie's story, as part of Solutions.
Anniversary Special[]
Iris briefly appears having her pictures taken in the Photo Booth, only to end up in Papa Lazarou's Wife Mine.
Other Appearances[]
Iris doesn't physically appear in Series Three but during the 2nd episode, in Flaps in Your Laps, a dancer who you only see the legs of is called Iris. Since the unseen Iris has the same legs as Krell, it can guessed that they are the same person. In the 5th episode, Beauty and the Beast (Or, Come Into my Parlour) Iris is heard on a tape recording of Judee used in Spit and Polish.
Live Shows[]
Iris appears in both of the live shows.
Drury Lane[]
In Act 2, both Iris and Judee appear in what seems to be a typical scene for the two of them - Judee once again insults Iris' social standing, for example - until an alarm clock sounds. This prompts them to swap 'roles', with Iris now playing the upper-class lady of the house, and Judee playing the cleaner, which they then do until a car is heard in the driveway. They freeze, but no-one enters; incredibly relieved, they comment on how they could've been caught, and that they're both living a lie - not just in their roles, but also in that they're actually father and son. (This is considered non-canon.)
Pantomime[]
Iris appears in Act 1 during the dress rehearsal of Legz Akimbo's Nativity, revealing to the unseen Mary and Joseph that she doesn't have room because Ron's friends are staying with them. Judee appears and act snooty towards the unseen couple, with Iris consistently throwing comments back at Judee in return.
Trivia[]
- In the Radio Show, it is said that Iris puts on her makeup while having sex with Ron.
- Ron, who is never seen, was potentially intended to be Caribbean - some of the children in Series Two were mixed race, and in the Pantomime, she refers to Ron's friends from the steel band.
- In the radio show Judee reveals how resourceful Iris is on a limited budget, making a "Lasagne" out of half a dozen Pot Noodles and Dairylea.
- Iris' appearance as a member of Solutions was done with an extra dressed in her costumes, with Mark Gattis dubbing the lines afterwards (the scene was done with extras rather than by digitally adding the other characters in).
- Iris' ancestor was to appear in Dr Chinnery's story in the Christmas Special - she was to be a prostitute who tried to make Chinnery a customer, before Pop as a Policeman pushed her away.
- In Series Three, Iris was to be a Tavern Wench in a group of Civil War re-creators.