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Mischief Makers Episode 13: Chris Leask

[Upbeat music plays]Host: Welcome to Mischief Makers, your one stop shop for all things Mischief. Join your host Dave Hearn, as he finds out what makes Mischief... well, Mischief!Dave Hearn: Hello and welcome to another episode of Mischief Makers with me, Dave Hearn. And with me today, I have the wonderful (and I imagine probably very excited) Mr Chris Leask. Hello Chris!Chris Leask: Helloooo! And you're right, I am excited!DH: Yeah! You're a very excited man, it's quite an infectious energy you have.CL: Oh! This is a nice start! Yeah, thanks. Yeah, well, yeah! I guess maybe you could describe me as quite hyper... hyper or just energetic?DH: Well I said "infectious energy and enthusiasm"...CL: Oh, I went a different way.DH: You said "hyper", yeah. But no that's good.CL: Yeah!DH: I hope that people listening this will be like galvanised by [it]. Walking down the street, listening to Chris.CL: With high energy or energetic.DH: Yeah! Now how much do you know about this podcast? We haven't spoken about it a huge amount.CL: No, well I've listened to a few of them and I know it's just kind of chatting about all the Mischief world and what we do. That's right, isn't it?DH: Yeah, yeah, yeah. It sounded like a bit of a guess that! But I believe you! [Laughs]CL: Yeah, okay well let me reword it: I may or may not have listened to some of the podcasts! [Laughs]DH: There it is!CL: I've been busy! I've been listening to Louis Theroux - but it's on my list... I'll listen to my own!DH: No that's alright. And to be fair, you know most things about everyone in the company anyway! But what you've just done is you've turned this podcast from an informal interview into Dave Hearn Investigates the Truth![Chris laughs]DH: Uncuts lies!CL: That's true actually. It's going to be a really short podcast when it turns out Chris hasn't listened to them yet, so he's not worthy to be talking on them.DH: Yeah, we've hit the two minute mark and we're done! Case closed![Laughs]CL: Good speaking to you about...DH: So basically I set these up to give us something to do during lockdown, but also to ask people questions about their lives and where they grew up. And also because like, fans ask a lot of questions and there are some fan questions later about the shows and stuff. But actually I thought because I know most of the people (if not all of the people) in Mischief very well, and so I can sort of needle out more interesting information...CL: Oh!DH: Which you probably wouldn't necessarily reveal in a Q&A or whatever in front of some school kids. And that's sort of the idea - and just to kind of help people learn how actors become actors.CL: Yeah, sure.DH: So we're doing this all in one take, which the fans of the show will know! So that drink you just took - that's in there, mate!CL: Wow, you heard that?!DH: I did.CL: Wow, this picks up everything.DH: I heard... you've got a good chamber for your throat!
[Laughs]CL: That is... yeah, I'm a loud drinker!DH: That's good - we'll know, we'll know! So the first section is the Getting to Know You section, and if you had listened to some of the other podcasts - you would know that I don't have any jingles or any kind of music prepared. So I'm asking people to improvise a very short Getting to Know You jingle.CL: ...oh, okay! Um, yeah - do you want me to do that now?DH: [While drinking] Mmmm.CL: Oh, you just drank there!DH: I did. You caught me!CL: I caught you! Sneaky!DH: Uncovered the truth![Laughs]CL: Okay - do you want me to do that now?DH: Yeah, yeah, yeah!CL: Okay, here we go. I've got to think about it... no, don't think about it! Just go for it... okay.Ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, dong... [More dings and dongs that we can't count]Getting to know you, Chris![DH laughs]CL: Is that... was that not what you...? Maybe I should have listened to the podcast before. Was that not at all what you wanted?DH: No, I think that might be the best one we've ever had!CL: Did you actually want more words? Because I just went for a doorbell?DH: Yeah, you had a long musical intro! I was about to ask, what was the instrument you were playing there?CL: Well because it's like getting to know you, it's like coming to someone's front door. So it's like someone ringing a doorbell. I think, I think... yeah, to suggest that I actually thought about it is wrong! I just went for whatever came out of my mouth!DH: Ding, da, ding, ding, da, ding, dong, ding! Ding, da, ding, ding, da, ding, Getting to Know You!Getting to Know Chris, yeah! Very catchy.CL: Thank you!DH: Okay, well let's get to know you.CL: Okay.DH: So let's begin. I was thinking about this yesterday actually and I was like, I didn't really know about where you grew up or much about your family and that kind of situation. So let's start with [that]. Did you grow up in Amersham?CL: I grew up in Amersham, yeah. Just on the Metropolitan line on the end. So basically, well I would say London, but it's like greater London. I grew up in Amersham, went to school in Berkhamsted though, which is in Hertfordshire.DH: Right.CL: And yeah, it was a lovely place. My brother - some listeners might know who my brother is, Stephen Leask, he's an actor as well - and both of us obviously grew up together. And kind of our whole lives... he always says that I followed him, because we went to the same schools then we ended up going to the same university, LAMDA.DH: He is older as well.CL: He is older, yeah he is older. He's four years older. But yeah, grew up in Amersham, which was fun. I mean there's not much to do in Amersham, it's very much a commuters' area. There was a swimming pool with three slides, that was kind of cool.DH: Three? Which was your favourite slide?CL: Oh it was the dark green one, because it was really steep.DH: Nice.CL: Yeah really steep. It's weird, isn't it? Because I went back there like ten years after, because I went to play squash (as you do!) And I looked at the swimming pool and I swear my memory of those slide, they were the steepest things - they were so steep and terrifying. I went back to it and they look rubbish now! It's so much better when you're a kid.DH: How old were you?CL: What when I went there again playing squash?DH: No like when you were like a kid on the slides.CL: Oh wow... well I must have been from 12 maybe?DH: Yeah, yeah.CL: I used to love it, they had like a jacuzzi, they had a massive pool, a dive pool, they had a rock climbing centre. It was really great actually! The more I talk about it, the more I really like Amersham.DH: Move back to Amersham, mate?CL: Maybe I should move back to Amersham, maybe I'm missing something here. Yeah, but I grew up in Amersham my whole life and made some lovely friends who are still friends from there.DH: And how did you find school?CL: Yeah, I really enjoyed school. Yeah I really enjoyed it. I was very much involved in the drama world of it and the orchestra and very much the arts side of it. I was never academic at all. I'm amazed I got the GCSE's I got and I'll be very clear right now: I did not get very good GCSE's at all! And I remember once... oh it was such a failure! In my History exam (and I got a laptop because I'm dyslexic), so I got extra time... not that I ever used my extra time because I always thought that I just knew what I was doing. I was like, "Yeah I know the answers to these, I don't need to double check it!" Oh the fool I was! And I remember at the end of the exam they came round with memory sticks to save my test. And I remember just as they were saving it, I was looking and we were talking about Russia. But instead of saying Stalin, for some reason my brain had decided to say Hitler.DH: Mmmm.CL: And as they were just saving, I was looking at the work going, "No that's completely the wrong person... what are you doing?!" And so I was like this was such a prime time for your dyslexia to come to out, I can tell you that! I was like, "Oh no!"DH: So you'd written a whole paper about Stalin, but just replaced the word "Stalin" for "Hitler"?CL: For "Hitler", yeah! So as you can imagine, I did not do well in that exam. I also remember in my Spanish oral test - I made the Spanish teacher during the test and she had to stop it and start again, which I don't think... she said like, "Don't tell anyone!" So... [Laughs].But she started laughing because she asked me to describe myself and I said that I had blue bones and a brown dog! I don't know how I said this?! But she started laughing.DH: Wow!
CL: She was like, "Chris, we're going to start again. But you just said this." And I was like, "Okay!" Then we... [Laughs] we redid it and I said it again! And she looked at me in silence kind of, "Why did you say that again?!" And my response was, "Well I didn't do it as a joke the first time. I genuinely believe that's the answer! So I don't know what the other answer is going to be. So that's what you're getting!" So again in Spanish, I didn't do very well.DH: Sure, sure.CL: But Drama and Music was kind of a world that I understood, so I kind of mainly focused on that. But I really enjoyed school - I made a lot of lovely friends, I didn't really have a hard time, it was actually really nice. I don't miss it, I like being an adult...DH: Yeah, it's much better isn't it?CL: It is much better - because you get a lot of people who like to go, "Oh it was so much easier when you were younger". It was... but you know, I prefer me now. When I was a kid, when I was growing up, all I ever wanted to be when you asked a kid "What do you want to be? If acting doesn't work out, what do you want to be?" When I was really young, I wanted to be a train. Not a train driver, a train!DH: Oh wow!
CL: Oh man! Like yeah, I mean... I don't want to go back to wanting to be a train. I'm quite happy with being an adult now.DH: An adult person.CL: Yeah exactly! [Laughs] An adult person, yeah, yeah.DH: "Chris the Tank Engine!"CL: "Chris the Tank Engine!" Oh I like that!DH: Doesn't have the same ring!CL: No now I do want to be a train again! It does have the same ring.DH: There you go.CL: "Thomas the Tank Engine"... "Chris the -" ...no, it doesn't. You're right, never mind.DH: "Chris the Tank Engine!" Thomas, you know, it's a strong name. Not that Chris isn't a strong name - but it's like, "Christopher the Tank Engine".CL: "Christopher the Tank Engine"! I never go by Christopher.DH: Yeah, is that your birth name? Your full birth name?CL: Yeah, full birth name is Christopher James Leask.DH: That's very biblical.CL: It is very biblical, isn't it? But I don't really like the name Christopher. I like Chris, I can deal with Chris. But Christopher? My Mum wouldn't like that, but I'm not a big fan of Christopher... I don't know. Maybe I'm just bored of it, I've heard it a lot.DH: Yeah, you don't suit it.CL: No I don't, do I? What do you think I would suit? Like a different name, not Chris.DH: I think you could be like a Ben.CL: Oh, Ben - nice okay.DH: Yeah or... like a... not like Benji, but something...CL: Harvey?DH: Harvey, maybe actually. Maybe Harvey. But then that makes me think of Weinstein.CL: Oh. Yeah, no. No-one wants to be called that, do they? I take that back.DH: No. Apologies to anyone called Harvey listening. You're probably not Harvey Weinstein!CL: No!DH: And if you are Harvey Weinstein listening: I do not condone your behaviour. Stop listening.CL: Yeah! Stop listening, get off. Yeah.DH: Yeah.CL: So we won't go with Harvey. I like... I don't know, like... I can't think of like... all I can think of are noises. Like "Ploom"DH: Ploom?CL: Yeah, I don't know. I feel like I could be a good Ploom.DH: Like a plume of smoke?CL: Yeah!DH: That works, "Plume"CL: Yeah it does work. That's my new name, Plume.DH: Very good, Plume Leask. Okay so Plume, when you were at school, what was it about drama and music that you found more accessible as opposed to more academic stuff?Plume Leask: I think I liked that there was no right or wrong. I think my problem in the academic world is that it is considered there is a right and wrong, which I don't like because I don't like being told that something's wrong (even though I fully appreciate I'm probably wrong!)But I liked in drama that there is no mistakes to be made; they're just different choices. And I think that is quite liberating, because once you know that there's no fear of failure, because you can't fail. You've just done it a different way and that's just someone else's opinion. And that's okay.And I had an amazing drama teacher who very much pushed that in us, that kind of getting rid of any... And I think as a student as well when you're young (you know, 16 and below), you're so paranoid about making a fool of yourself or being embarrassed. That's the worst thing that can happen to you. And when you get older you realise, "Oh it doesn't matter!" But at the time, this teacher really instilled in us that it's funny if you make a mistake and enjoy and own it. Don't hide away from it. And I think that was really liberating for me and I think for any 16 year old being exposed like that is terrifying, but I actually quite enjoyed it, I quite liked doing that.And also it's fun, isn't it? When you do drama games or music, you're just playing around, playing make up which is always fun! So I think that really helped and also my circle of friends that I was with were brilliant as well. They were all very creative. And we always used to at weekends like, we had one guy who's now a professional drummer (very successful) who was an amazing editor and cameraman. So he had this amazing equipment and every weekend we'd go out and make short videos. And actually I found some and watched them back and they are honestly awful![DH laughs]PL: But looking back, if I hadn't done that, if I hadn't have made those mistakes, I may not be the person I am today. You know, it's about making mistakes. It's the only way of learning, isn't it?DH: So do you think it was kind of your first introduction or a reason why maybe you've gravitated more towards comedy? That kind of teacher saying it's funny to make a mistake and don't worry so much about it?PL: I think so because that's kind of what Mischief is based around really, well the Goes Wrong world of it. It's funny when something goes wrong and it's incredibly liberating if you do own it and I think that's where the enjoyment comes from for the audience as well is not to hide away from it, not to move on, but kind of sit in that moment and that's really enjoyable.I think there's nothing more joyous than making someone laugh, isn't it? I think it's a hard skill, a really hard skill to hone and I don't think anyone... well all of us haven't exactly mastered it yet because it's so incredibly hard. And I mean what is perfection, David? What is?DH: That's a good question.PL: It's a good question! But yeah, I think so. I think I've always enjoyed making people laugh and I quite like the challenge of it. But it is also when you make a joke and no-one laughs, that is also very damaging! [Laughs] You have to get over it quite quickly.DH: Different kind of challenge.PL: Yeah, yeah, yeah! That can really, well, time stands still when that happens. Yeah.DH: So do you think that was part of... I don't know if it's maybe a side effect of having an older brother as well. But do you think that you wanted to make people laugh or to perform or you know, be a bit of a show pony or whatever, as a social mechanism to fit in? Or was it just because you didn't enjoy or weren't as strong at academia?PL: ...OH! That's a really good question, David. I do, yeah... I think so. I think everyone at school, you kind of... I understand why one does it, but I don't think it's right. You kind of find where you fit in in the stereotypical social circles...DH: Yeah.PL: And you've got the ones who are really good at sport, you've got the really cool ones... and the other ones!DH: "The other ones!"

PL: [Laughs] And I guess I was always kind of the class clown. I always kind of had been, I guess that's where I fitted in. I mean I got in a lot of trouble when I was younger, but I think I always got away with it because I was kind of playful and fun about it. This is a weird thing we used to do as kids: we used to play like a rock game where we used to... [Laughs] It's really taken me back now! We used to just stand in the playground and throw rocks at each other. I mean how dumb is that? What a weird thing to do?!DH: Wow! How big were these rocks?PL: I mean quite big! I think maybe it was the thrill of doing it, but what a strange thing to do! You don't just stand and throw rocks at each other. And I used to take it too far and threw them through windows. And I don't know why I did that... God, we're really looking back now! What an idiot I was! What was your question? I went on a diversion there to talk about throwing rocks at each other!DH: No, no, no - that's alright. I'll send out the lasso, bring you back![Both laugh]DH: So the question was do you think you went into drama or acting or comedy either because of a social influence, to want to play that part within your social group? Or did you gravitate towards it because you didn't do well in things like history and Spanish? And so you couldn't to do the thing that you were good at?PL: Yeah, I think it's down to because I enjoyed it, I loved it. And also I think I was good at it as well and I liked entertaining. But also, I wasn't good at the academic things and I didn't work hard enough if I'm honest. I wasn't good at it anyway and I didn't understand it and I think my dyslexia really kicked in with that. But I also wonder... I've always denied this, but the older I've got, I wonder how much my brother was an influence on it as well. Because I really look up to Steve and I still do. And I wonder if at a young age, because he was so into drama and so good at it as well, there's no doubt that would have had a bit of influence on me as well. So I think that's an aspect of it, yeah. But I think it was to fit in. But then again, it's strange - because I went to a different school for sixth form and there was a weird thing about drama kids, that it's kind of considered a bit odd if you are part of a drama club or you do the theatre shows, you're considered a type of person. And I never felt that when I was younger but when I got into sixth form, it became like, "Oh he's the odd guy who does all the acting". Which I find very bizarre, I never understood, but I think I kind of took that on and was like, "Okay great, you're going to make me that guy. I will be that guy x 200% and be in your face about it!" [Laughs]DH: Sure, yeah, yeah, yeah.PL: I mean to be fair, when I got into the sixth form college - we had a meeting and they looked at my grades. And it was quite a good school and they said, "Your grades can't get you in the school". And I was like, "Great... what a waste of time this meeting's been!"[Both laugh]DH: What a fun day out!PL: Yeah! This has been fun for no-one, surely? And they were like, "But your brother went here". And I was like, "Oh God... okay..." "So as long as you do a lot of extra-curriculum doing all the choir, the orchestra, all the different revue shows we do, as long as you participate in them, you can come to the school". And I was like "Oh, okay!" So I became kind of the guy who had to organise all these different shows and be part of the orchestra. So I think that for me kind of made me feel like, "Okay, well that is definitely a skill I have, that even teachers, these adults, are telling me I have. Okay, so I should hone on them - not maybe focus on the other side of it and just focus on acting and music." Yeah, so that's kind of I think where it all came from.DH: It's really strange isn't it, this idea that when you hit that really awkward age of 15 or 14 upwards, that there's so much focus on you as an individual in terms of like you're now starting to make choices about what you're going to do with your life.PL: Yeah.DH: And so then to do an extra-curricular thing for fun seems weird, because you're just like, "That doesn't seem important now if I don't get these grades". But then also I think it works... what you were saying is really interesting about how you felt that you were perceived differently by other kids who were just like, "Oh, you're the weird drama kid". Because I think there's this really romantic idea that good actors are naturally gifted and they don't have to train and we love the story of the really famous actor who got picked up having a coffee in a bar in LA and a director was like, "I want you in my movie" and Johnny Depp was born. And you're just a bit like, "Well yeah, that would be great!" But then you kind of begrudge those actors because you're just like, "But you didn't go through the weird thing I went through when I was 16, when everyone thought I was strange".PL: Yeah.DH: You didn't go to these kind of places and learn all of these things. And yeah, maybe there's less actors than perhaps there would be because when they hit 16, 17 they're like, "Well actually, I don't want to be weird. I want to get good grades and get a good job."PL: Yeah, I think a real struggle that I've... sadly, a lot of actors have these stories. The amount of teachers, parents, friends that ask you what your Plan B is - there is no other job that I know of that anyone gets asked what their Plan B is, what their backup is. And I understand the logic behind it, the logic behind it is it's really competitive, it's such a competitive industry and it's really hard. But I think it's a shame, because what you're doing is you're telling someone young that they're not going to get it essentially. That they need a Plan B, instead of actually going... any other job you don't do, I don't know an accountant who wants to work at Ernst and Young or PWC or something like that. If that is their dream, you wouldn't say to them, "Okay, what's your Plan B?"DH: Yeah.PL: But the chance of getting into Ernst and Young or PWC is really hard. But we just understand that they would survive; they'd go to another accountancy firm or they'd go into admin or do something else with those skills. And I think that people think that acting is so limited to you can only act. But actually, if it all fails - you could become a teacher, you could become a public speaker, you can become an entertainer. You can do anything with these skills. And actually, I think that the skill from being an actor of being able to public speak is really hard and actually a skill that every job needs. So I think to limit people by saying, "You need a Plan B or a backup" I think is unfair. I remember there was a music teacher who... I was doing Music Technology when I was at A-Levels, but he basically said I needed a Plan B and I should be doing something else and not acting. And I remember turning round to him and just being like, "No I'm going to do acting, thank you though!"DH: "Thanks for your time!"PL: I'm going to do this. And he told me, "You won't be an actor". He was very blunt about it. And I was like, "Okay. I mean I don't know who made you like God!"DH: The acting captain!PL: Yeah! On saying so, "NO, YOU CAN'T!" But I remember then about five years later, I'd finished LAMDA and I was on the underground station and I was on the... what do you call moving stairs? Escalator! [Laughs]DH: God's moving stairs, yeah!PL: On the moving stairs going down to the train. And he was there! And we were chatting and he was like, "How have you been?" And I was like, "Yeah, I went to LAMDA". And at this point I had just got my first acting job on TV and I told him about it and it was a really nice moment, because he laughed and was like, "Well I was wrong, wasn't I!" And I was like, "Aw!" I'm glad he appreciated and noticed it. And weird that he remembered it and I didn't have to remind him, which I found really interesting. So it became more personal, I felt like I was the only person he'd told they couldn't be an actor. But that was quite a nice moment because I was a bit like, yeah... With acting, I don't like when people go, "If you work really hard, you'll get it". I don't think that is the answer, because I don't think that is the answer in anything. If you work really hard and you do get it, you deserve it because you've worked really hard. But just because you work really hard doesn't mean you are going to get it, because it's all down to opportunity and whether or not you happen to be in the right place at the right time or know the right person.DH: Yeah.PL: But I do believe that the only control you do have is to work really hard, develop your skills and be match fit - so when the opportunity does come, you're ready to go. You know?DH: Yeah. I wonder if those teachers that say (maybe not so directly but suggest) you should have a Plan B, I wonder if there's a kind of kindness in that or an attempt as kindness. Because like you say, if you want to be an accountant in a really high-profile accountancy firm, the likelihood is that you're not get that. But your implied Plan B as you said is that you'll just end up in another firm but you'll still be an accountant.PL: Yeah.DH: And like you say, there isn't an implied Plan B for acting. There's this notion that it's either famous actor or failure. And I think that maybe the adult world is trying to prepare youngsters for that failure, maybe not for that inevitable failure but the idea of kind of going, "If I'm harsh to you now and, "You're not going to make it" - maybe it won't hit you as hard when it does happen. And if it doesn't happen then great, I was wrong and you're successful, good for you! But if I'm right, then maybe you'll be like, "Yeah someone did tell me and I'm really glad they did, because I'm prepared for it." I wonder if that's the kind of psychology behind it, to try and sort of...PL: I think so. Yeah, I think so.DH: But it seems like an unkindness, but I imagine it comes from a good place. But I know what you mean, it feels... there's this kind of stigma with not just acting but dancing and singing and musicals and all kinds of entertainment.PL: Yeah, yeah.DH: I was talking to Holly - Holly is my housemate who Chris knows and worked with on Bank Robbery. She's working for an agency at the moment and she had a real kind of worry about stepping back from acting. And I remember saying to her that I think there's this idea that if you're an actor and if you aren't getting work, you maybe start to pursue looking at something else that you've failed, that you are a failure and that you took a risk on this very, very, risky proposition in life and you failed and that's a shame. And everyone goes, "Aw, so you've given up - you've failed to be an actor". Whereas if I was a doctor or an ambulance driver and I go, "Oh, being an ambulance driver isn't actually for me any more. It's quite stressful, I'm going to become an accountant." People go, "Oh, congratulations! That's a really cool life move to make and good for you!" And I think it's hard for an actor to choose not to be an actor any more, just because maybe they don't like it.PL: Yeah. I think if you fall into something else, I think that's considered like... it's strange! Because if you're an actor and someone falls into something else, in your head you kind of go, "Congratulations!" Because sometimes what you do as an actor when you've been out of work for a while and you're doing a part-time job that you don't want to be doing, you kind of go, "I wish to God I could wake up and not want to do this any more". It would make life so much easier. But then actually making a conscious decision to go like, "I want to do something else", I think changing any occupation is a challenge and really testing. But if it's something you want and you're willing to go out there and fight for it, then hats off to you. I think that's so empowering.DH: Yeah. So I'm just going to redirect us slightly back. So keeping on the theme of education, so you've gone through and we've figured out that you were weird.[PL laughs]DH: And then you went to LAMDA, one of the weirdest places of all. And you did the foundation course and the three year course, right?PL: Yes, I did the foundation and then went onto the three year course. So I was at LAMDA for four years which is a long time to be at a drama school.DH: How did you find it?PL: I loved it. The foundation course was amazing, we got the amazing opportunity to work with Adam Meggido who is a director of Mischief as well. He did Peter Pan Goes Wrong and Magic Goes Wrong. And he taught us improv and I made some amazing friends, I mean it's where me, Nancy, Shields met... was it only us three on the foundation course?DH: I think so, yeah.PL: And then LAMDA's also where all of Mischief met, which is really exciting. And yeah, I loved LAMDA, I loved all the fight that we did. I mean drama school's hard, really hard because it's very exposing and you're forced to expose yourself in ways that maybe you've been quite self-conscious about and maybe don't really want to. But it's a safe environment to do things like that.PL: And I think it toughens you up definitely. But I loved it, I had a really great time. I loved the clowning, I loved everything.DH: Do you feel that it sort of changed you as a person in any way?PL: It definitely toughened me up. I had a real problem... I think maybe this comes from my whole being young and wanting to entertain everyone, I really cared what everyone thought and almost was imposing my need to be loved on everyone. And even if I made a joke that maybe didn't go down well, I would beat myself up about it and be like, "Oh no, you failed today Chris!"DH: Sure.PL: But drama school kind of toughened you up a bit and you go like, "Oh it's okay - everyone's trying as hard as each other". Do you know what I mean?DH: Yeah. But I see what you mean, I wonder if... do you think it's a bit of a kryptonite for an actor, to sort of have that... I guess most actors do think about it - but worry so much what sort of everyone thinks?PL: I think so... I wouldn't say every actor does. I think... well maybe every actor [does] and some other actors at hiding it. I don't know. I do think we care, it's like that long running argument: if you have an audience of 500 say and 499 liked you but one person didn't, would you care that one person didn't like you? Even though the majority did. And I'm definitely, "Yeah - I would care why that one person didn't like me".DH: Sure.PL: And I think when I was younger and an actor straight out, it would really bother me, it would really affect me. Now, I've got older, it still affects me slightly but I more use it as a way of getting energy. I'll more go, "Okay great - they didn't like it, that's fine. We'll just be better next time." But I think in a healthy way, not in an unhealthy way that I work myself to the bone. I think it's from quite a healthy place now." I mean, I say that now! We're going to have this... [DH interrupts] no, you go.DH: I was going to say, I think you end up thinking in extremes as an actor. And I think I probably think of the other extreme, take the example of 500 people: I would sort of walk out and be like, "Great, so no matter what I do - I know for certain that at least one person in this audience is going to hate my performance!"PL: [Laughs] And hates as well!DH: Yeah I really think one person's going to be like, "That geezer is just a gurning mess!"[PL laughs]DH: And like some people on Twitter are very kind to me and say, "Dave is a really good comedian". And someone else is going to read that tweet and be like, "What a bunch of hokum! That guy is terrible!" And I kind of go out and that doesn't affect me in a way, because I sort of go, "Great - so I kind of know that one person's going to hat my performance". So I've kind of just got to do what I think is right: no matter what happens, I can't make everyone happy, so I've just got to hope that on the whole, everyone seems to be having a good time. And that one sour apple can, you know.PL: [Laughs] Just don't come back again!

DH: Yeah - go back to the orchard, mate!PL: Very good! I had a great one once: so after we did [The Comedy About a] Bank Robbery, we were doing bucket collections at the doors. And people are very nice when they're coming past and saying that they enjoyed the show and all that. And this one person came past and just looked at me and went, "Wow". And I was like, "Oh!" and I just assumed they were going to be positive. I was like, "Oh, thank you!"[Both laugh]PL: And he just went, "Wow... that was a lot..." And I was like once again, was trying to take a positive view.DH: What, about your performance?PL: So I thought it was about the show! And I was like, "Oh yeah, the show's got..." And he was like, "No, no. Your performance - it was a lot."[Both laugh]PL: All I did was laugh - but I definitely laughed it off and in my head went, "Oh, that's just his opinion". Honestly I suddenly realised after a week of still telling the story, I was like, "Okay. No, it's affected you. There's no need for you to have continued to tell this story!"DH: Yeah.PL: But yeah, that was some feedback that.DH: It's hard, isn't it? Because I think we definitely live in a culture where... most forms of entertainment are kind of seen as anyone can have a go and anyone can be a critic.PL: Yeah.DH: And I kind of get that sort of mentality, because anyone can buy a ticket for something. You can pay and watch stuff. And with hte kind of invention of shows like Britain's Got Talent and The X Factor, you know we are asked as a public to call in and judge someone else's ability.PL: Yeah.DH: And so we do feel that we have the right to kind of say those things. I think sometimes it's really easy to forget in that moment that you are a person and just to kind of go up to you and be like, "I really enjoyed the show - but I thought your performance was quite a lot for me".[PL laughs]DH: It's just like, "...okay? Thanks?"PL: "Okay, cool. Thank you?" But I don't mind it too much because actually I think it's my problem if I take it badly, that's my decision that I've made. You know, I'm going to take it badly.DH: Sure.PL: Because at the end of the day, what other job do you do where at the end of your day's job you get a round of applause? I mean I'd love to do that, if that were a thing for offices that's amazing! So I kind of go, well it's kind of... it's got to work both ways? Do you know what I mean? It's kind of... wait, does it have to work both ways? What am I saying here...? Maybe I don't agree with my own comment!DH: This is interesting!PL: Yeah, I know - we're getting a bit of conflict here!DH: Yeah, with yourself!PL: I think it's okay... yeah, I mean if you went to a restaurant and you had a dinner that you didn't like, I mean I personally would never say that. I'd be like, "Oh yes, it was lovely - thank you so much! More, please, more!" Even though I hated it. But if it was... but some people will be saying things back, because they don't like it and that's okay. And will comment on the fact that they didn't really enjoy it. So I kind of go, "Well that's fine". I mean, I still wouldn't say it to someone's face if I didn't enjoy someone's performance.DH: Yeah.PL: But maybe that makes me two-faced, because I'd definitely say it behind their back. That is for sure.DH: There you go. Maybe that guy was just... he was just, "Didn't enjoy this guy's performance. Yeah, I'm going to tell him!" And you know what? Good for that guy.[Both laugh]PL: Yeah! "Let's ruin his night!"DH: Right, now we're running out of time here unfortunately.PL: Oh, okay!DH: So I'm going to move us on very swiftly to the next section, which is going to mean you're going to have to do another jingle.PL: Okay.DH: And this section is called Questions from the Web. So let's have your Questions from the Web jingle.PL: Um... [Sings] "Knock, knock, knock, knock, knock, knock, knock, knock - who's there? Question's from the Web's there!"[DH laughs]PL: I went for another door theme.DH: No good - yeah, yeah! Opening the door of the internet into your personal abode.PL: Yes.DH: Very good.PL: Come on in, guys!DH: So the first question we had is from @StageyMegan.PL: Oh!DH: She asks: do you have a favourite (or standout) audience interaction when you played Trevor in The Play That Goes Wrong?PL: Oh... um... that's a good one! Does it have to be The Play That Goes Wrong? Can it be a Mischief show?DH: Yeah, I guess it could be any show that you sort of interacted with the audience. But I think potentially Trevor is the [key].PL: Oh, potentially Trevor - okay. I think there was one when I had to kiss James Marlowe when he was playing Max.DH: Nice.PL: And there was a man who had obviously seen it before, so had to come so prepared to scream "KISS HIM!" But it came in at the wrong time - so it kind of threw me! But I still interacted him and he was like, "Kiss him!" And I was like, "No, I'm not going to do that. I don't want to kiss him." All that kind of stuff. And then... but it wasn't humorous, like he wasn't enjoying it - he was angry by it! And he was like, "No do it! Do it! Kiss him!" And I was like, "Alright, mate. Chill out!" But no - and then I eventually kissed him and I looked at him in the audience after the kiss and everyone else was laughing and enjoying it and he just looked really serious like, "No - I wanted them to kiss!" It was quite an intense experience.DH: Oh wow!PL: I really enjoyed it.DH: Maybe he hadn't seen the show - maybe he just got very excited.PL: About us kissing? Yeah, possibly.DH: This is a moment in history!PL: What I will say (I know about time) but my favourite interaction in a Mischief show was in Bank Robbery actually. So I get this hat thrown at me and I have to catch it quite well, but I didn't catch it and it went into the audience. And I remember someone in the front row picked it up and gave it back to me and I thought it would quite fun if that character I was playing (Roger) suddenly realised, "Oh hang on, there's an audience there!" And then kind of started, I kicked the hat back to the audience member and we kind of started playing a little tennis game, to be playful. And I really enjoyed that because the audience member just started playing with me.DH: Aw, that does sound fun.PL: Yeah it was really nice! Until they decided they didn't want to play anymore and they threw the hat further away from me so I couldn't get it. And I just really enjoyed it because I was like, "Yeah, the audience had a little play with me and they won!" And I thought it was a really nice experience... even though I got in trouble!DH: A lovely moment in theatre.PL: Lovely, yeah!DH: Well the show, Bank Robbery, was always running a bit long - and then, "Oh Leask's putting in a tennis match in the middle of it!"PL: [Laughs] Yeah! I got in trouble a lot - I came off stage an the theatre manager was there and was like, "You can't throw things in the audience". And I was like, "No - won't do that again! That's how you get a lawsuit!"DH: "What about this sword?"PL: [Laughs] "What about these sharp objects in my pockets?"DH: Okay, so B10BETHANY asks: in The Goes Wrong Show in Harper's Locket when Trevor falls on the table, was it shot in separate stages? Or did you actually fall from a height in one shot?PL: Oh no - I wish I had... actually no I don't wish I had! That would have really hurt, because it was a really hard table! But it was two separate shots and we had a dummy, a Trevor dummy. So when it falls - yeah, it was dummy Trevor. But then basically in the beginning of the shot where I land, I just kind of jumped up and then landed, which still hurt actually. It was still quite painful on the chest.DH: It's amazing how effective that shot is.PL: I thought that!DH: Because you actually only see like a split second of the dummy falling. And it's amazing actually how little you see of you actually falling. And so I was like, "Oh this is not going to work..." And then obviously Martin Dennis - very experienced director - was just like, "Shut up!"PL: [Laughs] "Let me do my job!"DH: And then saw it on TV and was like, "You know what, experienced director? Touché! You were right - it is very effective, works really well."PL: But yeah, it was two different shots and it was a really fun scene to do.DH: Yeah it was a good scene.PL: Getting your arse out, lots of screen time it's had!DH: Getting the old caboose out, mate! Nice doubloons![Both laugh]DH: Isn't a doubloon like an old Spanish currency?PL: Bloom?DH: No, doubloon! A doubloon!PL: Oh... I don't know!DH: Answers on a postcard!PL: That's some good knowledge, if you knew that!DH: Possibly not! Izzie asks: which character is most difficult to play when you're Everyone Else in Bank Robbery?PL: The most difficult character to play... hmmmm... the most difficult one to play... I actually, this is quite strange, I found Gus quite hard. Gus is never mentioned as a name - sorry, the Maintenance Man. Only because after a while of doing 900 shows, having to scream behind a door is really challenging. And to do that every night and not lose your voice - that was quite a challenging one. And also obviously all the characters in the fight were really hard, which is going to happen sometimes if you're quite tired or exhausted because you've done so many shows - I think Sunday night, having done seven shows that week, suddenly doing a fight scene where you have to flip onto your back - that can be quite a challenge. But that was probably the hardest parts. But I think I had it easy in that show - you Dave, you were throwing yourself out willy nilly! Here's me complaining, you were going mad - weren't you!DH: I'm chucking myself all about!PL: You were. How did you find it?DH: I really liked it - I had a bit of a confidence crisis in the first few weeks.PL: Oh?DH: Yeah, I kind of crashed about halfway through and was really like... felt I had a lot of responsibility for the show? And then I sort of worked my way through that and then came out the other side and it's one of my favourite shows. And I actually got to go back into it a few times on the tour and in the West End, when there were like injuries and stuff.PL: Yeah.DH: And actually really, really enjoyed myself a lot.PL: It's a very fun show. I was really sad when that closed, really sad. Because I love that show, Bank Robbery.DH: Well actually this, the idea of emergency cover is actually Abby's next question, which she says: how did it feel when you had to go back for emergency cover for Bank Robbery and Peter Pan Goes Wrong in the space of 24/48 hours?PL: Oh that was tough. Because at that time, it was literally the weekend before I was going away on holiday for three weeks. And I was at work - a pub I was working at doing part-time job - and I get a phone call saying, "Where are you? Can you come to Alexandra Palace to come and do Trevor?" At this point, I hadn't done Trevor in... when did we do it? About three years ago we did the Apollo, didn't we?DH: Yeah, two... three years ago. Yeah.PL: So I hadn't done it since then. And lines I wasn't so much worried about, because if all else fails - you can just improvise! Especially for Trevor - like, you're kind of okay! But it was ore the flying sequence, I was like, "I've not been on a fly rig in a very long time". But they were like, "Can you come and do it?" and I was like, "Oh screw it! I'll come over!"And as I got out the station, I get a phone call from Bank Robbery from the company manager saying, "What are you doing tonight? Can you come to Bank Robbery?" And I was like, "No! I'm actually at a different one!" And they were like, "Okay!" So I went and focused and did Peter Pan Goes Wrong which was amazing and the cast were incredible and very helpful and definitely pushed me into the right positions. And there was a terrifying moment when I was about to stand on the table for the plank to flip up and hit me in the face, and I realised I hadn't really practised it. And I froze for a very long time and just looked at it and went... it's very easy for that trick to go wrong. If you don't move your hands in time, you can actually knock yourself out. So I was a bit like, "Okay... be careful. Don't knock yourself out before your holiday!" But it all went really well and the audience were incredible and that theatre's amazing. And then when I came offstage, Mark Bentley (one of our producers) was there and was like, "Would you mind going to do Bank Robbery the next day?" Playing a part that I didn't really... well I did cover it, which was Freeboys but it wasn't my part that I knew inside out. And had to go and do two shows of that the next day, which was scary - it was scary.DH: Very impressive.PL: Yeah - I was quite proud of myself. I think... yeah, I was really proud of myself actually. And it went well and I survived it, which is the most important thing. And I think it's not about... in these situations, it's not about quality - it's just about getting it done! [Laughs]DH: Just need to get it done? Send in Chris Leask!PL: Send in Chris Leask! He'll just say the lines.DH: Learn the lines, say the lines. Blackout![Both laugh]DH: So that brings us to the end of Questions from the Web.PL: Great!DH: And we've just got enough time for what is aptly named the Quickfire section.PL: Oh wow!DH: So can I have a Quickfire jingle? GO!PL: Okay! [Makes noise like sort of sound like licking] I don't know what that was!DH: That was horrible! That's recorded!PL: That absolutely horrid! Do you know what I was thinking? In my head, it was someone putting a letter through a letter box, but that's not even what that would sound like.DH: Okay... no, actually maybe do that again - knowing that.PL: Okay, okay... [Does the same noise, slower this time][Both laugh]PL: No! It's horrid! Oh no!DH: No it's just a man sucking in air![Both laugh]PL: Oh God - that's on the web forever! Oh what a horrible sound, it felt horrible. Sorry, Quickfire - let's do this.DH: Basically I'm just going to ask you loads of questions quickly, and just answer as fast as you can.PL: Okay.

DH: Here we go: what is your favourite colour?PL: Blue.DH: What is your spirit animal?PL: Um... f-f-f-f-f-fox!DH: Fox - nice! If you were to describe yourself as a dessert, what would you be?PL: Oh, chocolate fudge cake!DH: Is a Jaffa Cake a cake or a biscuit?PL: Um... they're amazing, they're both. It's just the best.DH: If you were one of the 52 cards, which card would you be?PL: Probably like the Ace of Hearts.DH: Nice! Left or right?PL: Right. Oh!DH: Right or wrong?PL: Wrong!DH: What is your favourite film?PL: Oh, I missed that one - what's my favourite what?DH: Film.PL: Oh, that one is so tough! Um... Back to the Future!DH: And your favourite video game?PL: Oh... Uncharted.DH: Nice! And finally: who would be the best person to be trapped on a desert island with? Best Mischief person?PL: Best Mischief person?DH: Yeah.PL: Oh... um... Dave, I'd say you actually! And I'm not just saying that because I'm speaking to you. I feel like I very much... not that I don't trust the others! But I really, really trust you. Like if you say to me, "I can do this", there is no doubt you can do it.DH: Aww - that's very kind of you.PL: Like you're very trustworthy. And I feel like if I was on a desert island and I was like, "Dave, I need to get a fish. I'm really hungry!" You'd be like, "Okay mate! I'll give it a go!" And I know you'd come back and bring me a fish.DH: Just turn up with a fish?PL: Not that I'm going to boss you around!DH: Like you'd just stand there and be like, "Bring me bass!"[Both laugh]PL: Yeah! I think your survival skills would be really good as well, and we'd have a great time.DH: Oh, that's very kind of you. It would be fun, I would enjoy that.PL: Who would you say?DH: I would say... purely for survival, probably Mike Bodie.PL: Oh shoot! Oh, oh oh - nearly said that word!DH: No you can say "Shit", that's alright.PL: No David, we can't! It's a podcast, not swearcast!DH: BEEP! It's too late.PL: We can beep it out? Oh dammit!DH: Because he can actually build a fire.PL: Yeah - except I remember I was camping with Bodie once and he was like, [In Mike Bodie's accent] "Okay man, don't wrap up to warm because you'll get..." [Stops accent] Actually, I'm not going to do the accent![DH laughs]PL: "Because you actually get more cold if you have less layers on". Wait if you have more layers on, you get more cold! And I was like, "Okay!" So I did it - I was freezing! And then woke up and Bodie wasn't there because he couldn't sleep because he was so cold! And I was like, "I really trusted his opinion on that!" And I don't know... maybe he was right, I don't know...DH: That's some classic camping bantz![Both laugh]PL: Oh, everyone's got one of those stories! I'll tell you that!DH: Oh, wake up cold - slept naked in the snow! Oh!PL: Yeah - it was a very, very bizarre night. But yeah, Bodie's a good choice.DH: So to close - because I feel like we could talk about lots of stuff for a lot longer - but we should keep it under an hour. What TV recommendations do you have for people? What would you say is a must watch or a must listen?PL: Oh – Rick and Morty I think is the best show in the world.DH: Very good.PL: It's so creative and so silly, but they're just genius writers, they're so incredible. I'm not going to give away too much - but just commit through the first series, you'll love it! It's incredible. Podcasts: I'd say Louis Theroux, he's just incredible.DH: Yeah, the Grounded series. They are great.PL: Huh? [Mishearing]DH: They're really good.PL: Yeah, they really are. I also really like... um... what are they called, American Life podcast…DH: This American Life.PL: This American Life, sorry - yeah, yeah. They're really good as well. Sometimes you get the odd conspiracy one and I love them so much. I'm so invested in them.DH: Well, Chris - thank you very much for giving us your time today.PL: You're very welcome.DH: I don't usually do this, but I'm going to give you an opportunity to redeem yourself. I'm going to do a thanks, I'm going to go "Thanks very much for listening", I'm going to do the Twitter handle and I'm going to say, the closing line is going to be, "Thanks for listening and keep making Mischief!" And I'm going to allow you to do a closing jingle and whatever you do at the end of that jingle, I'm going to press STOP. Okay?PL: [Laughs] You're going to press STOP?DH: Yeah, I'm going to press STOP so that the last thing will be that jingle. So ladies and gentlemen, thank you so much for listening - I've been Dave Hearn and we've been talking to the wonderful Chris Leask! Do keep an eye out for our next episode and you can follow all Mischief news on our Twitter: @MischiefComedy. Thanks for listening and keep making Mischief.PL: BA DA BUM BA DA BUM!DH: Nice![Both laugh]