Ha ha bonk
…the sound of a man laughing his head off, according to joke books from when I was a kid. Tonight’s show in Wimborne was notable for one of the most distinctive laughs of the tour. A lady called Helen sitting in the front row kept coming out with this extraordinary choking peal which sounded like someone saying HOO-HOO-HOO from the back of their throat. Then a couple of times when I looked at her and addressed it (it had to be addressed), she would try to check it and it would turn into a cackle, completely different. Almost as if she’d been putting on the weird laugh. But I don’t think she was. And as well as the unusual tone of laugh, there was the frequency. She was burbling away like a water-pipe for almost the whole time.
You never quite know, on stage, how to deal with someone who’s laughing so much and so… oddly that it might begin to distract the rest of the audience. And distract you, of course: every time I paused for breath she would be chortling in the silence. It’s a pretty nice problem to have, of course, and not one which every audience serves up. But naturally by making it a feature of the show you risk making the person self-conscious. I was kind of hoping she would make herself known to me afterwards at my now-traditional signing-and-sitting-awkwardly session, but there was no sign of her. So, Helen, Lady with the Unhinged Laugh, if you are reading this – I hope you didn’t mind being in the show, and your laugh was a big help to me. And you might be mad but I’m giving you the benefit of the doubt.
A bar for strange laughs has been set and it is a high one. If you’re coming to a show in the autumn, best to start practising now.
Posted by Eloise on July 29, 2011
Won’t lie, i WAS one of those low life seat blaggers in the front row
Glad i wasn’t killed in the whole ‘hang them!’ incident….. 
Posted by Vicus Scurra on July 15, 2011
I am intending to view your performance in Bordon later this year. I have no intention of laughing, so please do not worry.
Posted by Rachael on July 15, 2011
I just finished reading Jon Richardson’s book, ‘It’s not me it’s you’, I highly recommend it, especially for people who are a bit particular and/or single. To me, everything he says makes perfect sense but then my mum has always said that i’m “not very tolerant of people”.
Posted by Helen on July 15, 2011
It wasn’t me. I haven’t really monitored my laugh of late. It was once a bit loud and annoying, I think. Then it changed, toned down. Better. Unsure of it’s current state.
Posted by Eilidh on July 15, 2011
I’m sure you incorporated her nicely! I’m probably not a great audience member either as I have a silent laugh. I look as if I am laughing my head off but no sound comes out. I am always teased for it, but if I’m laughing silently I find you very funny indeed.
E x
Posted by Lydia on July 15, 2011
I know a girl who laughs by just saying “ha ha.” You think she’s being sarcastic but she isn’t. For that kind of reaction she thinks you’re hilarious.
Posted by Mr Spigot on July 15, 2011
That was quite a laugh, and I was also laughing hysterically on the way out of the theatre last night, but that’s mainly because I avoided being hung or (worse?) stabbed. All good fun I’m sure (sort of sure) and I felt for you, hopelessly torn between moving on and milking the hell out of it.
And no, I wasn’t one of those low-life seat blaggers in the front row.
Posted by Phill on July 15, 2011
This reminds me of my favourite comic description of a laugh, from Fawlty Towers. Basil describes Sybil’s laugh as “like someone machine gunning a seal.” Ah, Fawlty Towers, that show was just – as the kids might say, pure epic win
Posted by Misha on July 15, 2011
My laugh is just loud, rather than odd. Like Kate’s. Always interesting on recordings however when you can pick your own laugh out.
Posted by Kate W on July 15, 2011
I suspect my laugh’s not odd, just loud, so I can’t compete with Helen.
(Nice work on the new panel show, by the way; will look forward to seeing that.)
Posted by Tibbs on July 15, 2011
Oh, and Jen: there’s something on the forums about the Mad Bad Ad show, but it hasn’t been mentioned on the blog yet.
Posted by Tibbs on July 15, 2011
I think it’s best to incorporate it into the show, and I’m sure you did it in a nice way!
I’m like Cathy; I always feel a bit bad cause I don’t make much noise when I laugh, although I’ve been getting a bit louder.
Posted by Jen on July 14, 2011
Ps what is this mad bad ad show I’ve ad numerous emails about – av I missed a key career update blog!!-intriguing!Jx
Posted by Jen on July 14, 2011
I’ve been told I laugh like Jimmy Carr – as a girl in my 20s I don’t think this is the best news ever…hmmmm!!Jx
Posted by lisan66 on July 14, 2011
I have a horrible laugh, it’s a high-pitched cackle. I think it’s genetic though, because my sister and loads of my dad’s family have it too. I also have the tendency to snort, but that’s normally only in the middle of a giggling-fit, if you could call what I do a giggle
Posted by Cathy (traineeflorist) on July 14, 2011
I’m the opposite, I don’t laugh much. A bit of a dead loss as an audience member in that department. Even when I am crying with joy (often at one of your gigs it must be said) I just sort of titter a bit or make this sort of wheezing noise. Which is no good to you if you can’t hear it, not very encouraging at all … must try harder. As you say, best to start practising, Edinburgh nest and there will be some stiff competition there I shouldn’t wonder …