Interviow
ut it was not just “civilians” who revealed “It has been amazing,” says the always flamboyantlyIFTHEREWAS
themselves as enormous fans of the Boosh. Noel dressed Noel, the astonishment clear in his voice. “The onlyANYDOUBT
takes up the story.“For the finale of the Festival, way Ican measure it is by the people who come up to us inB
people from all the other bands were going to the street. It used to be just cool kids, but now it’scab driversABOUTTHE
dress up as our characters. But there was acurfew at 11pm and chavs, which is great because it means you’re appealing
IMMENSE and we ran out of time before the finale. TimBurgess from to more people. In the past, when Igot into taxis, the cabbies
The Charlatans, who was going to dress up as the Mod Wolf, would always ask, ‘who are you?’Now they immediatelyPOPULARITYOF
was so disappointed. He looked like he was going to cry.It say,‘the Mighty Boosh!’Chavs come up to me and say,‘that
was like saying to akid, ‘you can’tgotothe zoo, dad’scar’s show is sick.’It doesn’tsound it, but apparently that’sgood!THEMIGHTY
broken.’He was devastated!” They don’tstab me, so that’sfine –‘don’ttouch him, he’sonBOOSH,THE
telly’. When you dress the way Ido, it’sgreat to have things
So TimBurgess, and millions of others, will be delighted like that to save you!”WONDERFULLY
to hear that there will many more opportunities to see TheCOMPELLING
Mighty Boosh this autumn. Over the coming months, Noel The Boosh appeal especially to youngsters. “Kids really
and Julian are embarking on amajor national tour.Itisthe like it because there are lots of visual elements to it,” reflectsANDORIGINAL
must-have comedy ticket of the moment, and the show, Noel, who is 35 and from London. “It’sone of those
which will feature “up to 30 or 40 per cent music” promises programmes kids tend to like more than their parents. It’sCOMEDY
to be an absolute blast. We predict ariot. like with music, if aparent says, ‘that band is awful!’theirDOUBLEACT,
kids will immediately go out and buy all their albums!”
During the tour,Vince Noir (Noel) -anaturally cool dudeCOMPRISING
who has the rare ability to look hip even while dressed in a So just why have the duo struck such achord withNOELFIELDING
sparkly silver jumpsuit teamed with giant platform shoes - audiences? “The Boosh is pure escapism,” observes Noel.
and Howard Moon (Julian) -anerdy jazz–obsessed square “Stufflike The Office is great, but people know where it’sANDJULIAN
with awardrobe consisting of beige polo necks and matching coming from. When Iwas young, Iused to watch The
cords -will share the stage with arange of characters from Goodies or Spike Milligan, and Ihad no idea where it wasBARRATT,THAT
their TV show,that has enjoyed three hit series on BBC2 and going. We try to create aworld that people can get into andWASREMOVED
BBC3. love. My favourite programmes -like Monty Python or The
Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy -conjured up their ownEARLIERTHIS
The duo are taking abreak from rehearsals to give me a worlds. Once you’d entered them, you could go where youSUMMERWHEN
sneak preview of the sort of treats they have in store for you pleased. We aim to do the same thing. We put in all sorts of
this autumn. Noel and Julian are that rarity -adouble act different elements -music, animation, loads of characters.TENSOF
who are as funny offstage as on it. They enjoy aspecial It’snever too narrow.We’ve never stopped ourselvesdoing
THOUSANDSOF chemistry which you just can’tfake and to which audiences anything on the Boosh.”
immediately warm.FANS
Julian underlines that it only works because of the
Julian proffers ataster of what joys we can expect during inimitable chemistry that Noel and he create. “I’m sure we’llCONGREGATED
the tour.“See Naboo the Enigma and his cape of wonder. do things separately in the future, but it really works as aATTHEHOP
Look on in wonder at Bollo, the ape that dreamt he was a double act.As individuals we’re very different, and that’s
man. Discover what mysteries lurk in the Hitcher’s hat. crucial to our success. Ihave another friend who is alotFARMINKENT
Marvel at the Moon as he soothes with his idiot wisdom. more similar to me, but the Boosh’sspark comes from the
FORTHE Expect punks and yetis and monsters with elbow patches, in fact that Noel and Ihave very different interests. Youyoke us
apsychedelic meteorite of music and mayhem.” together and that generates areal creative friction. We canINAUGURAL
take the mick out of each other’s delusions. We’ve created a
It is perhaps the most eagerly awaited live comedy event universe we love, and it’sfascinating to bring all sorts ofMIGHTYBOOSH
of the year.But don’tjust take my word for it. Reviewers different ideas to it. Difference is very important to us.”FESTIVAL,
have been queuing up to praise The Mighty Boosh. The
NME has called them, “the funniest comedy double act in The creative well shows no sign of drying up any timeFEATURING
Britain.” The Times has enthused that the show is, soon. Noel and Julian are bursting with new ideas. The duo,NOELAND
“charming, audacious and genuinely innovative”, and the who first broke into broadcasting in 2001 with The Boosh, a
Telegraph has dubbed it, “a beguilingly trippy comic six-part series for Radio 4, have abook coming out in theJULIAN’SBAND
universe, overwhelmingly fun for fun’ssake.” The Observer autumn and are hoping to work on both amovie and an
has raved that it is, “a triumphant spectacle, one of the most album next year.PERFORMING
joyful shows around.” The Sunday Telegraph, meanwhile,ALONGSIDE
has concluded simply that the Boosh is, “the funniest thing The pair will remain popular because they never rest on
you will see this year on stage, television or film.” their laurels. They are always searching for new ways toSUCHROCK
make us laugh. “This business is quite ephemeral,” JulianLEGENDSAS
The pair,who won the Perrier Best NewcomerAward in concedes, “and you have to maintain ahealthy cynicism
1998, are certainly very excited about returning to the live about it. There is a‘flavour of the month’aspect to it, so youTHE
arena for the first time in two years. “Live comedy gives you have to keep moving on and mutating. We’re never precious
aparticular buzz,” beams Julian, 40, who hails from about work, we never say,‘right, that’sit, that is theCHARLATANS
Yorkshire. “It’ssoinstant. Youget areaction straight away. crystallised form of the Boosh.’We’re interested inANDGARY
Having spent alot of time making television recently,you constantly trying different things.”
hunger for that immediate response. It’sgreat to find outNUMAN.THE
what people think of your material right away rather than Noel chimes in that, “it’svital to keep changing. If weSCREAMING
months or even years later.You can improvise as you’re kept doing the same thing, we’d soon get bored and the
going along, which is areal thrill too. Live work is audience would say,‘we’ve seen that –next!’Fortunately,HORDESOF
incredible, and when it goes well, nothing can beat it.” there are loads of new places to take the Boosh. We’ve never
BOOSH-ISTAS had aday where we’ve said, ‘we haven’tgot any ideas
Noel and Julian have been performing together since they today’.”HADCOMETO
started setting out on weird and wonderful journeys together
We can’twaittoseewhattheycomeupwithnext.Canupstairs at anorth London pub in the late 1990s. They havePAYHOMAGE
you?CatchTheMightyBooshliveatCardiff’scome an awful long way in the last decade, and in the pastTOTHEIR
InternationalArenaon18thOctoberand24thand25thcouple of years their popularity has reached anew level. The
November.Call02920224488fortickets.Boosh have gone stratospheric.Y HEROES.
SEPTEMBER.08 WEAREVOICE.CO.UK 119
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