Journalism

Email interview with artist Harry Pye

1) You are currently working on a channel 4 drama called, Double Act. How's
it all going and how did it come about?
It is obviously partly influenced by my own experiences, but it came about a bit by chance. I was doing lots of meetings pitching ideas and had a second meeting with a guy at Channel 4 who I realised had heard all my ideas. In the half an hour before we were going to meet him, my manager and me were discussing how bad the film "Festival" is ad how comedians are very rarely accurately portrayed in film and TV. As the meeting got going I remembered an old idea of mine about comedians going to Australia for a festival and mentioned the double act in the script and said it was always something I'd wanted to write about. The executive's eyes lit up and he practically immediately commissioned a treatment and then once I had done that immediately commissioned a script. It took me a while to write script 1, but by the time I had finished I was very pleased with it. But Channel 4 want to see another script before they make a decision. I am meant to be writing that now, but have got nowhere. I am excited about it though and have high hopes for it. We'll see.

2) The 'It Takes Two' exhibition is a celebration of both dynamic duos and
the art of collaboration. Do you have a favourite comedy duo? Morecambe and Wise are pretty hard to beat, don't you think?

3) Billy Childish & I have made a painting of Pete & Dud. Do you think
you've laughed at Pete & Dud as much as you have Derek & Clive? I like both acts. In fact Pete and Dud probably make me laugh more because it's a very infectious act. But Derek and Clive is something else and one of the best and worst things that has ever happened anywhere.

4) Who had the better solo career - Lennon or McCartney (in terms of
releasing records you wanted to buy)?
I am fascinated by the way we always want to make double acts compete when they have split up. The thing with Lennon and McCartney is that they were both brilliant and it's a shame that Macca feels the need to defend himself or compete. He wrote some of the best pop songs of all time. I loved Band on the Run, but Imagine is something else. And Macca has done some rubbish. Lennon did some rubbish too and might have done more had he lived, but if I had to pick one then Lennon is best. But Macca is still Macca.

5) Rodney Bewes of the Likey Lads never did nearly as well as James Bolam,
can you explain why this might have been?
Who knows? These things often aren't fair. Newman was much more talented than Baddiel and yet the latter has had the more successful career. Bewes actually auditoned for my latest comedy drama and was quite a character! I think Bolam was probably the more versatile actor and Bewes got a bit typecast, but nothing's fair in this business. Though old Rodney seemed perfectly happy when I met him.


6) Your thanked at the end of Stewart Lee's DVD is that because you
suggested changes, edits etc or was it more for being a pal?
I haven't actually seen the show (only because I want to avoid people thinking I have been influenced by him) and so don't know what might be in it that was down to me. I think there were possibly a line or two that might have been Lee and Herring or just Herring things. But we both owe each other a lot and I think that's probably what the nod is for. I do the same for him.

7) You worked as script editor for Little Britain. Sometimes you hear of one
member of a double act being the one who types up all the jokes or who
writes the structure, while the other one just sprinkles a bit of magic at
the end etc. Can you reveal anything about the way Walliams and Lucas come
up with their ideas?
I really can't. because all that happened is I sat in a room and listened to them reading out scripts and then made a very few suggestions, most of which they ignored. So I don't know who does what in that partnership. It seems to work OK though

8) Recently you reunited with Stewart for the Ted Chippington show. Are you
glad it was that particular event you reformed for. And did it feel more
exciting/less nerve wracking/more easy etc than you expected? Will you do it
again?
It was a terrific night and a very enjoyable ten minutes on stage. We slipped back into the old relationship very quickly and it was probably more fun than it used to be as it was a special occasion and we no longer spend every waking moment with each other. I think it was the right place to have a reunion and probably went well enough to justify doing something else another time. No plans at the moment though

9) How would you define an ideal collaboration. (Is it making the load
lighter/getting things done quicker/achieveing things you'd never have done
on your own.)
Hard to define. It's good to have someone to bounce things off and also to motivate you to work. But I like the autonomy of working alone as well. Stew and me had very similar senses of humour, but brought different skills to the writing process. So we were in tune, but also could inspire and surprise one another. It worked pretty well.

10) Bernie Winters replaced his brother with a dog called Snorbitz. If
Stewart had done that to you would you have been offended or just taken it
in your stride?
I don't think a dog could have done what I did. It would have been a different act. Maybe a better act. It's hard to know. But we always had an open relationship and Stew can work with whoever or whatever he wishes.

11) After Peter Cook fell out with Dudley Moore... Dudley only married women
as tall as Peter and Peter went for women that were as small as Dudley.
Coincidence?
Maybe not. It's something I was going to put in the comedy drama, that the girlfriends fulfil similar roles to the double act partner. I would hate to think it was true, but thinking about it.... oh dear.

12) Do you have any advice for Andrew Ridgely of Wham?
He was in one of the most popular music acts of his time and am sure had a marvellous time. I suspect he still has a marvellous time. He had a very successful career, if only for a limited time, but that it is still better than the vast majority of humanity who might be tempted to mock him. I have a feeling he is happier in himself than McCartney - but that's only a total guess

13) Could one of the Chuckle Brothers ever make it on his own? He would only be able to say "To Me" which wouldn't be as funny. I hope they stay together. If it ain't broke...the Chuckle Brothers will probably break it. That's the secret of their success.

14) Morecombe and Wise were funny because Eric Morcombe was like a funnier
version of one's own father. The Two Ronnies weren't as good because they
thought they were funnier than they actually were and they were more like
creepy uncles. Discuss
There was definitely more warmth in Morecambe and Wise, and they were silly, like grandparents or nice uncles. And you loved them as people. The Two Ronnies relied more on characters and scripts and the warmth wasn't there in the same way. They were still pretty good, but M&W are a pretty hard benchmark to beat.

15) How often do you use the expression, It Takes Two To Tango? And what
does it mean to you?
Once every six months. It means that it takes two to tango, but also other things as well. Some things you can do on your own and the phrase is not applicable to these, but it takes two people to make things work that require two people.

16) Are you a fan of the Rod Stewart/Tinna Turner song It Takes Two Baby
(Just You And Me)?
Not especially