Fans of the BBC cult comedy show, The Mighty Boosh, might remember a certain breakdancing, drum-playing ape called Bollo – a shaman familiar, occasional butler and part-time vintage shop assistant, known to mutter “I got a bad feeling about this” just before something weird and awful happens. That was Dave Brown in that suit, cooking in his own juice, trying (and occasionally failing) not to faint.
“There were fans built into the mask, but we’d turn them off when we were filming because I was recording vocals as well and it would muck with the mics,” says Brown. “In between shoots I’d have an air conditioner unit straight into the suit to cool me down.”
“We’d do these really rubbish chase scenes against a green screen. I passed out twice. I’m amazed I’ve managed to have children because I’m pretty sure my testicles were at temperatures that nothing would ever survive.”
The commitment to the costume was next level, from death-defying head spins that had him flying in the air and completely skinning his face (“I mean, it looked great on camera”) to having his eyebrows shaved off before he had time to ask “is that a good idea?”
“I was doing a [screen] test in front of the director and [Mighty Boosh co-creator] Julian Barrett. The makeup artist said ‘you realise that monkeys don’t have eyebrows?’ and she just went for it [and shaved them off]. I remember thinking, ‘is that true? Because I’m pretty sure I’ve seen eyebrows on monkeys.’ I walked out and they went ‘yeah, it’s just not gonna work. We’re gonna have to have a mask.’ So I had no eyebrows, and it’s then you realise how much you need [them]. I had to wear my glasses all the time because my girlfriend couldn’t look at me.”
The Mighty Boosh – a magical, fantastical, irreverent, absurdist show starring comedians Julian Barrett and Noel Fielding – was built on the proviso that nothing was too ridiculous, rude or sensitive to touch. Stories of crack-addled foxes with syringes for fingers, gender-neutral sea monsters drinking Baileys out of shoes, jazz beasts, psychedelic monks, mythical yetis, magicians galore and mutant zoo animals were accompanied by song and dance interludes, which Brown choreographed.
“We always liked that idea of low-key synchronised dancing,” he says. “We wanted it to be shitty, but also quite good. And I ended up being the one that could do it. I’d pull everyone into place and come up with little routines.” The TV series came off the back of a popular, initially low-budget live-production comedy show that toured in the late 90s along with a radio show in the early thousands, as well as a full-blown music festival featuring the likes of Har Mar Superstar, The Kills, Peaches and Jarvis Cocker. The Mighty Boosh aired on the BBC for three seasons from 2004–2007, boasting guest appearances from Matt Berry, Richard Ayoade, Roger Daltry, Gary Numan and Rich Fulcher.
By the time their third and final season started, they were claiming one million viewers per episode. Among their fans, Robin Williams and the Beastie Boys. Brown still has the late Adam Yauch’s number. Bollo doesn’t say much, he doesn’t do much, and yet somehow, he steals every scene he’s in. Perhaps it’s because gorillas, no matter what they’re not doing, are inherently lovable and watchable. A lot of it’s talent, though.
Brown conveyed an incredible amount of expression inside that costume, considering the only part of him showing is his eyes (and brows). “It’s quite a physical thing, you know. The mask was made with a chin strap so that when I spoke the jaw moved. And because it was so tight, I could get a lot of emotion in my eyes.”
This is an excerpt from the latest issue of Swill. Want more? Order issue 5 today
