Interview: Harry and Chris

After last year’s sell-out run of their debut show in Edinburgh, world poetry slam champion (and University of Bristol alumnus) Harry Baker and jazz musician Chris Read bring their unique mix of comedy, melody, poetry and best-matery to Bristol.

“A combination of catchy hooks and breath-taking verbal ingenuity makes this a winning hour… The quality and quantity of laughs on offer is generous and yet the show is cynicism-free, the tone unapologetically feel-good.” ★★★★ Broadway Baby

Here are the musical comedy duo to tell us more.

So, what’s the show about?
In a very literal sense it’s about the important things in life: pandas, robots, time travel, vegetarianism – and how to explain to elderly relatives what a comedy-rap-jazz-duo is. It’s also about friendship, believing in yourself and finding your place in the world.

You’ve been writing together since school age. How has your work developed over the years?
We started off with covers of any pop song in the charts with a rap verse (American Boy, California Girls, etcetera), and occasionally featured on each other’s solo projects that had a lot of teenage sincerity. We’ve learnt to be a lot more playful with it, and while hopefully not losing the heart or poignancy involved, we’re not afraid to be a bit more leftfield or silly with it now.

What is your favourite part of creating a new show?
Getting to bounce ideas off each other. The initial part of writing a song, where there are no wrong answers, is so fun to play around with. Building a show is a similar process but magnified.

… and your least favourite?
Trying to then condense a ten-minute epic down to an acceptable length. Also, distinguishing between what is funny to us because we’re best mates and enjoy making each other laugh, and what is funny to a wider audience. Just as you’ve worked it out and gone on tour and got the performance nice and slick (ish), the process starts all over again!

Harry (pictured left) and Chris

Harry, how did your time studying mathematics (at Bristol!) shape your poetry?
I used to write poems at the back of my lectures when my mind started to wander! In both disciplines, I think it’s about using what’s at your disposal to look for answers and try and solve problems in quite an abstract sense, even if you go about it a very different way. On a practical note, my personal tutor in first year gave me time off to go to the Poetry World Cup – so I’ll always be grateful to the Bristol maths department.

Chris, how does performing with a poet, rather than a band, impact upon your music?
I like to think of all musicians as poets. My guitar plectrum is my pen. The notes are the words. We are all unfinished stanzas on this page we call life. Does jazz ehyme? Does rhyme jazz? (Just kidding, Chris is on his honeymoon so Harry is writing this in his absence and wants to make him sound like a dick).

How do you go down with Bristol audiences?
Bristol audiences are obviously the greatest. I performed pretty much every week here in my time at uni, from open mics in my uni halls to various pubs and theatres around town. It’s amazing to be able to come back and play a venue like the Wardrobe, and have a mix of old and new friends in the audience.

Do you have a favorite place to go to in Bristol?
I used to love going across the Suspension Bridge to Ashton Court, and then in my final year I discovered Leigh Woods. As a Londoner, it was amazing to have somewhere like that you could escape to that was also within walking/cycling distance from the city centre. Either that or Pieminister.

Describe your show in five words.
Fun-filled, life-giving, big-hearted, joyful, comedy-rap-jazz.

Harry & Chris will be performing The Harry & Chris Show 2 at The Wardrobe Theatre on Wednesday, October 25 at 5pm and 8pm. For tickets and further info, visit thewardrobetheatre.com/livetheatre/harry-chris-show-2 and www.harryandchris.com

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