When I was 14, I watched Flight of the Conchords on the TV and thought ‘that’s what I want to do’. Up until then, it was a toss up between that and a marine biologist, but a nice priest had introduced me to the Mighty Boosh at 11, so I was already primed to take the funny route.
I’d just formed a band with my two best mates, and the week prior I’d written a song, which I’d sung, with them as a backing band, to a girl, on her birthday, asking her out in front of 70 people. She said no, and it’s on YouTube.
And so naturally, we thought let’s double down on that success.
Folk Festival 2010
In 2010, the same musical comedy trio were booked to play the Cambridge Folk Festival – the coolest festival in the CB1 postcode! It was so exciting!
We were given wristbands, our name was in the programme, and we could camp! (In Chris’s parents’ back garden; he lived just around the corner).
I realised that going to a festival, or a gig, with your best friends, having fun on stage, and sharing this thing you’ve created together, is the best way of living.
Working the Edinburgh Fringe in 2014
In August 2014, me and my friend Ruth worked as flyerers at the Edinburgh Fringe for a now defunct comedy agency, for comedians who couldn’t remember our names, at the rate of £6 an hour, plus £10 bonuses if we sold out their unsellable shows.
We were kicked out of our accommodation part way through the Fringe, at one point roleplaying homelessness as I abandoned all our possessions in a café to do my next shift. I had the most wonderful month.
Early on, I discovered the wonderful community around the Pay What You Want Fringe, started flyering for Ali Brice (at a better rate), and watched a hundred shows.
I did this every August for the next three years, consuming as much comedy as I could, and selling out the rooms of comedians I adored. Bliss!
Having fun on stage, and sharing this thing you’ve created together, is the best way of living.
Clowning in Nature
I did a course in 2016 with Phil Burgers (aka Doctor Brown), called Clowning in Nature. It was nine days on a farm in Wales. Most of the exercises essentially asked you to walk on stage and be funny. And you’d fail. Except that Phil would keep you up there, for 20 minutes at a time. It felt like an eternity. Agony.
Reaching into your soul to draw out something that might connect and make people laugh! And then silence. We were all terrible.
But everyone had maybe one good moment. Mine was for an exercise where we had to give a speech as the boss of a company. I came on as the CEO of a meat factory, in an inflatable sumo wrestlers costume. And it was the most glorious 10 minutes of my life.
It’s also where I met comedians Julia Masli, The Duncan Brothers, Conner Jatter, and my long-term collaborator (star of Disney+’s Extraordinary) Luke Rollason. Luke and I, alongside Amy Greaves and Tom Penn, went on to make ten different shows together as Privates, and lived together for seven years. Thanks Phil!
Will Hearle
Getting Furloughed
I was furloughed in March 2021 – arguably a year late – for six months. It was absolutely the best thing that’s ever happened to me.
That extra time and money let me risk creatively, build a solo show that I’d go on to debut the next year, and grow my TikTok to a place where I could then make some money out of it.
It makes you realise how much easier it would be to do this as a career if you didn’t have to work, or you had a secret London flat. And I’m already a privileged fucker!
But I’d be dishonest if I didn’t include this, because being creative requires breathing room. And that is impossible to find when you’re knackered from being overworked, or your life situation is precarious.
Being Commissioned to write The Many Wrongs of Lord Christian Brighty
Aside from this being a blatant promotional segue into the show I want to promote, myself and Amy Greaves being commissioned to write our Radio 4 sitcom has changed us and our work so much.
The difference in rigour required between making a live comedy show is massive. I’m not a naturally ‘scripty’ person – I like to put on silly clothes, muck about and play.
The ‘character’ of Lord Christian Brighty was originally just me in riding boots and a stupid hat. And so to grow that way of me silly into a real 3D person, while keeping not losing the original joy and stupidity, has been so hard.
But to be honest, I do think we nailed it.
The Many Wrongs of Lord Christian Brighty is available on BBC Sounds. It stars Jessica Knappett (Taskmaster, Drifters), Colin McFarlane (The Dark Knight, The Fast Show, Outlander), and is written by Amy Greaves and Christian Brighty.
