"I love the fact that he is so fantastically enigmatic," says Ben of Nicholas Brocklehurst, the British ambassador's right-hand man. "The moment I read the part, I was instantly hooked. I kept thinking, 'What's he playing at now? What are his ulterior motives? Who's he really working for?'
"What is so intriguing about Nicholas is that you never know whether he's a goodie or a baddie. Is he Good Nicholas or Bad Nicholas? You play each scene as though he could be either - and that's fantastic to perform.
"I was by myself in a lot of scenes. It's great fun to tell stories by yourself - and a whole different ballgame to what I usually do. Now you just have to shove me in a room with some documents and I'll be happy!
"Because of the state of the world now, it's absolutely the right time to be making this drama.
"Lizzie Mickery and Dan Percival have turned what's happening in the headlines into the most brilliant drama. It's very near the knuckle about why certain countries start wars against other countries, but that will ring bells with a lot of people.
"Whatever you do, don't nip out to make a cup of tea at any point during The State Within. You're bound to miss an absolutely crucial plot-point!"
