BARBARA: A Few Of My Favourite Things

Full disclosure: we don’t actually have a shared physical workspace, but we hang out lots. 

Today we’re at mine (Rachel’s). 

I’m in the drivers seat (laptop) as Ben lays on the sofa (napping). 

We’ve spent the day writing a mad show we’re shooting against an LED screen so I hope there’s still some comedy juice left in the tank. 

Course there is. 

C’mon!

The Lino Print

Rachel: This is a picture my sister-in-law made me after Ben and I formed BARBARA a few years back. 

Her name is Becky but she also goes by ‘Saint Saviour’ too as she’s a pop star. 

I love her a lot, arguably more than I love the man she married (my brother). 

She’s got the best voice I’ve ever heard and has scored loads of BARBARA work. 

By best voice, I mean best singing voice. 

Best speaking voice is Alan Rickman, we all know that. 

The Three Piece Band

Rachel: I love these guys. 

Look at their faces. 

So pure. 

They just want to make you happy and, credit where it's due, they do!

If you wind them up they play their little instruments. 

I’ve been out with a lot of ‘guys in bands’ but none of them make me smile like these do. 

The Creepy Doll

Ben: This creepy doll is technically Rachel’s – course it is – but we used it as a prop in one of our shorts about Richard Herring cutting his dick off for no reason, we thought it would be funny to end on a doll with no genitals who looks perfectly happy. 

Rachel is a bit cross that I’m describing it as creepy as it’s an original ‘Kewpie’ doll... whatever that means. 

The Reading Nook

Rachel: This little space is BY my desk rather than on it but I love it so much and it gets this lovely light during certain hours. 

The lamp and chair belonged to my Nanna and Granddad who are sadly no longer with us. 

This is where I sit when I read scripts. 

If I’m feeling frivolous, I might print the script and sit there to scribble notes. 

Ben also likes to sit there and point out if pictures are crooked and things like that. 

The Fly Hoover

Rachel: My new place is quite fly-heavy.

We haven’t gotten to the bottom of it.

The Dyson has been repurposed. 

I don’t know if this gets me in trouble. 

Maybe we shouldn’t print this? [Ed note - we did]

The Doll House Thing

Ben: My next-door neighbour gave me this as thanks for looking after their cats. 

it’s a side hustle of their's and my wife won’t let me put it in the bathroom.