Mmm, chocolate. Sorry. Well, I'm all settled into my new place and now it's my turn to say something on THE LOOK.
When Chris and I were discussing what Harcourt & Haigh would look like as characters we couldn't really come up with anything so, in the very first draft of the first episode (wow, seems like such a long time ago now), I just had them down as wearing shirts and ties and left it as that (Low-to-No-Budget don'tcha know), with every intention of going back and changing it at a later date.
After Chris read it, during a later conversation, I saw a funny look appear in his eyes (this is not always a good sign but it's best to play along when it happens) he came out with his idea of what they should look like. As he first explained this to me I will admit that I was not too sold. Mainly because I couldn’t picture it, though I did like the idea of Chris looking like a cross between Jon Pertwee’s Doctor and Jason King. But I just couldn’t see them fully realised.
The more we talked about it (and the more his speech slowed down to human speeds, that boy's tongue moves quicker than a Water Snake's sometimes), the more I warmed to the idea. However when it came to me wearing a hat I really thought, 'No'. It wasn't my style, I didn't think I could pull off wearing one. Shades. yes. But a hat, no.
Then we finally got it all together for the test shoot and when I saw both myself and Chris in the outfits it all came together, I knew Chris had come up with a great paring and that it was going to work. And that Chris' idea was genius.
The possibilities! So much fun to be had with the costumes over the course of the series. So say tuned to enjoy the upcoming adventures (or rather misadventures) of HARCOURT & HAIGH: Actors at Large.
Vernon Harcourt
