This article first appeared in Radio Times magazine.
Who’d have thought comedians dying on their feet could be so funny? Over two series, Last One Laughing: UK has encouraged us to laugh along as a parade of the nation’s finest comics try to keep a straight face while engaged in a battle to break down each other’s defences.
Now, host Jimmy Carr and sidekick Roisin Conaty have raised the stakes with a Halloween series that drops a string of scares into the mix. Alongside the usual no-laugh rules, they’re also daring contestants not to scream, shriek or yelp as they’re trapped in a set festooned with uncanny Victorian dolls and soundtracked by eerie organ music.
Series one players Lou Sanders and Daisy May Cooper make a foolhardy return, joined by first-timers like Tom Allen, Harriet Dyer and Phil Wang. But surely if anyone can resist the aces up producers’ sleeves it’s the eternally deadpan Jack Dee and horror aficionado and Inside No 9 trickster Reece Shearsmith?
We quizzed newcomer Reece and veteran Lou about the tactics they deployed to stay in the game – and what makes them jump in the night…
Reece Shearsmith
It’s your first time on the show – why did you want to do it?
I love it – it’s so unusual to create comedy from that feeling of not being able to laugh. I don’t know that I’m that funny in real life. But I enjoyed doing Taskmaster, which made me think I could get away with doing me (or a version of me) again. And I love Halloween.
What were your tactics?
I was more front-footed than in real life. I didn’t want to wither on the vine. And I set my face in quite a serious way. It’s OK when people tell an obvious joke, but if they say something else as they walk away, you’re off guard. You have to concentrate hard, which is exhausting.
You’re good friends with Bob Mortimer, the winner of series one. How long would you have lasted in a room with him?
I’d be out immediately! Bob makes me laugh more than anyone. Especially with his jokers. He said it’s hard to step up to try to make people laugh, because you think you’ll feel such a fool when they’re silent. In life, even if you don’t find something funny you might smile politely, but here it falls on stony ground.
Who worried you the most?
Jack Dee. He’s not smiled since 1985. He was a tough nut to crack and I could easily see him going the distance.
As a lifelong horror fan, how confident were you about not screaming when spooked?
When Steve Pemberton and I were touring our live Inside No 9 show Stage Fright last year, we’d film cast and crew jumping out at each other. Whenever they did it to me, I would always react – but in silence. So I thought I might be OK, as my natural reflex seems to be not to make a noise. In my new book (Things I Took from the Dark), I talk about this gulf between things that frighten you – in the middle of the night when you wonder, “Is there a burglar downstairs? – and the cosy controlled environment of a horror film.
How do you walk the line between horror and comedy?
Laughing at a punchline or being scared by a jump bring the same release. A scream is often followed by a chuckle of relief. I’ve always toyed with that tension. Usually, the hardest thing to inject is the comedy.
What are your plans for Halloween?
My book tour finishes on Halloween night in Cambridge, so I’ll dress up and I’ll try to get back and have whatever is left of the evening, watching some horror films probably. But I’ll miss the trick or treaters, which will be a shame. We are a beacon for them! Other houses shut down, but they can always come to us.
What made you fall in love with horror in the first place?
When I was young, I read a lot of Edgar Allan Poe and Stephen King and watched BBC Two’s late-night horror double bills: there’d be a Universal one at about 10.30, then a Hammer one at midnight. The storytelling’s thrilling: you know you’re safe, but you could imagine what you’d do if there was a monster in your cellar.
Finally, what did it feel like when filming was over?
Almost euphoric. I’ve never done a marathon, but I imagine it’s like that – a big release of both adrenaline and relief at being able to resume normal service.
Lou Sanders
You made it to the final of series one. Why did you come back?
It was so fun. I was a bit nervous going into this one because I didn’t know the people as well, but it had its own kind of energy.
Apart from Daisy May Cooper, they’re a different bunch. What did you think of them?
I was so happy to see Jack Dee. He doesn’t smile much, but he’s got a joyful little gremlin inside him. The room breaks down comedians’ personas. Jack’s a big old softie, really. I thought I’d be in trouble with Daisy again, and Reece kept bringing out lots of spooky contraptions. I didn’t want him to get me with one of those.
Was it a relief not to see Bob Mortimer?
I never thought you’d hear me say it, but on this, it’s a good day when Bob doesn’t turn up.
How did you cope with the added challenge of not screaming?
I think of screaming as a woman’s prerogative. It’s how I express myself. I was way more worried about that than laughing. It’s a primal instinct, like asking me not to get turned on if you bring Clive Owen into the room.
Whose joker were you most fearing?
I get envious. I watch them and think, God, I never would have thought of that. You try and guess from someone’s persona, but we would not have guessed Tom Allen would do what he did...
Do you enjoy being scared?
I read about a study showing that if you do a scary experience with someone, you bond quicker. So you should take a date to a horror movie or go up a high wobbly bridge. But I don’t like to be spooked.
Reece says he doesn’t make a noise when something scares him. What do you make of that?
I can imagine a lot of men are silent in all sorts of ways. Hashtag men’s mental health. Get your screams out for the good of society.
Do you believe in the supernatural?
I did see a ghost when I was about 14, at my friend’s mum’s friend’s house. When I told them, they said the house was haunted and described the same ghost. I think everything is energy; I tend to know instantly if I’ll like a person.
Last One Laughing: Halloween will be released on Friday 23 October on Prime Video. You can sign up to Amazon Prime Video for a 30-day free trial.
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