I met Noel Fielding at Croydon art college, then we lived together when we were at Buckinghamshire College of Higher Education, along with Nigel Coan who went on to do all the Boosh animation. Noel and Julian Barratt did an improv night at the Hen and Chickens, in the lead-up to writing their first Edinburgh fringe show. In 1998, they won best newcomer at the city and subsequently brought the Boosh to radio and TV.
The first series was on late on BBC Three. I played various characters including an Australian zookeeper called Joey Moose, a monster called Black Frost, and a fire and a naan bread as part of a running gag. I’d do all the choreography and dance routines. The reviews for the first series were pretty poor, so we assumed no one was watching, but we decided to take it on tour anyway. All the while, I’d been doing graphic design and a bit of photography. I ditched my job and joined the cast with Noel, Julian, Rich Fulcher and Noel’s little brother, Mike. We had been used to our little London and Edinburgh comedy bubbles. Suddenly, we were in these beautiful Victorian theatres and weird sports halls and community centres. It was a real mixture.
This photo, called Backstage Belly, was taken in the Sands Centre in Carlisle, which had a 1970s red-and-cream vibe to its backstage area. Rich’s bellybutton was an integral part of the Bob Fossil character. The stretching of his blue outfit was very important. His shirt had to be just the right size not to burst. If his bellybutton wasn’t out, the comedy wasn’t as good. Noel didn’t know I was taking his picture. If he had, he would have been Blue Steel-ing it down the barrel. He usually has the ability to spot a camera from 500 yards in thick fog. But here he’s contemplating. It’s unusual to capture him so unposed and natural. I’ve known Noel for over 30 years. He’s in his absolute element in front of a live audience. I think a lot of people who only know him from Bake Off don’t realise his background is in standup.
This shot would have been taken on 35mm film as it was pre-digital. I love the symmetry of it: the black line down the middle, the black and yellow pop of Noel’s glove, and the contrast between the black, red and white. It’s got a White Stripes feel to it. I also like the reflection: I use mirrors a lot. It must have been pre-show because they don’t look sweaty enough for it to have been in the middle or after. Plus Rich is drinking an orange juice.
My forthcoming exhibition, Behind the Boosh 20, has been hard to curate because I pick shots from a photographic point of view, whereas fans want to see photos of their favourite characters and episodes. What’s funny is that most of the shots were taken while I was in a gorilla suit. In the first series, Bollo the gorilla was an expensive animatronic suit with a very expensive actor inside. He dies in the scene where they go to monkey hell, but Noel and Julian decided they wanted him back on the live tour, so they said: “Dave, do you fancy being Bollo?” I said: “Sure.”
They got loads of prosthetics made. Then the makeup woman said “Monkeys don’t have eyebrows” and shaved mine off. Then Julian, Noel and the director, Paul King, said: “It’s not right. We’re going to use a mask instead.” So I asked the makeup woman: “Was that strictly necessary for a two-second test?” I had no eyebrows and my girlfriend wouldn’t even look at me.
Dave Brown’s CV
Born: Essex, 1973
Trained: Photography and graphic design, Buckinghamshire College of Higher Education
Influences: “William Eggleston, Wim Wenders.”
High point: “Playing 11 sold-out gigs at Brixton Academy, London.”
Low point: “Passing out in the Bollo suit.”
Top tip: “Don’t ever not do something because it’s scary.”
Behind the Boosh is at Behind the Gallery, London, 10 to 13 October