Noah & Jordan interview

Noah James and Jordan Maxwell - aka up-and-coming double act Noah & Jordan - have been making a name for themselves via their online sketches and live work. They're finalists in this year's Sketchfest competition, and have just released their most epic video yet. It seems like a good time to find out more...

Hi guys. How did you first meet?

We were in the same year at Mountview [Academy of Arts] and never really acknowledged one another until a Halloween party. Noah was dressed as Frank'N'Furter from Rocky Horror Show and Jordan came as himself. At the time, he had a Jackson Five style afro (we'll let you decide which is the more terrifying image).

Still to this day, we don't know how that started our 10-year friendship, we really didn't like each other but here we are...

Talk us through how you started doing comedy...

We started writing comedy immediately after graduating in 2013 and, at our first attempt, we ended up with a deal on a mockumentary all about our experiences of Drama School. For years after we were producing comedy content and, after winning some Web Series awards, we decided we wanted to be known as a comedy duo.

The online videos you've released so far span a variety of themes. Any favourites?

Most of the time we keep the sketches we perform live out of the equation and write sketches specifically based on ideas that excite us or stories we've read. Noah's favourite is Blackman v Soupman because Noah likes the idea that London has terrible superheroes in comparison to the blockbuster stars of DC and Marvel. Jordan's favourite is Luther. Once he found the Idris Elba within, it was very hard to make him stop. We had to hide his coat and tie at lunch.

Your new video is Man Crush...

Noah spent 10 days away from Jordan and wrote this on his beach holiday... the lyrics must run deep.

There is some truth to the people we mention in the song, Jordan's favourite film is Lion King. To this day, it's his go-to reference and is always giving Noah a little giggle in rehearsals. Noah is often referred to as the dictator when it comes to the writing/rehearsing/planning, so Jordan likes to be bossed around abit. Whilst we mention those people, Man Crush is more of a bromantic tale of our friendship and expressing bromantic feelings for another man.

Jordan, you look like you could be a real rap star; meanwhile Noah you could get a job as a dictator without needing an interview...

Unfortunately, at drama school they don't tell you to go run a country and ban sarcasm or become an international selling rapper. They were dreams we could only accomplish through playing dress up.

It looks like Man Crush was fun to film? There was a trip to the seaside for one of the scenes?

Yes we went on a little road trip with our crew. It was the most fun we've had filming. We managed to shoot the whole thing in 24 hours with no problems and even had time to go out for dinner with the fantastic crew. There were lots of strange looks from locals seeing two boys dressed all in white, running on the beach and splashing in the sea at 7 in the morning.

This is your slickest and most ambitious video yet... it looks like you've been steadily building skills each time you film something. What have you learnt along the way about making online videos?

Why thank you! We really like the sketches to emulate or draw inspiration from the style or genre we're spoofing. For Man Crush, it was lots of 90s boy bands and our favourite singing trio, The Lonely Island. We're still defining what comedy content appeals to an online audience... short and shareable, connected to a story and delivered on a more regular basis perhaps, or all?

What is your ultimate ambition - a TV show?

For us, television still has to be considered the pinnacle of our entertainment ambitions. We crave the opportunity to develop a Noah & Jordan sketch show for TV. We grew up watching the famous double acts and always dreamed of a similar path. But ultimately we're happy building a platform anywhere as long as we get the opportunity to make people chuckle.

We're getting the sense via your answers that you're good friends. You must spend a lot of time together. Do you ever annoy each other?

For a while we forgot to do anything purely social. It got to the stage where all we did was chat comedy ideas and projects.

Jordan: Noah watches comedy non-stop and will talk for a good hour about a show I haven't seen - then he'll complain we're off schedule and make me work later.

Noah: I do all the typing, everything from scripts to emails, arrange rehearsals and crew, I make us lunch and dinner and he sits there on his phone! God help me if he hasn't finished his sodding Sudoku.

Meanwhile, how about this: Can you share a fact with us that you think your double-act partner probably doesn't know about you yet?

Noah: Some people don't realise I'm in the Luther sketch.

Jordan: To be fair in that sketch, according to some people, you look a convincing lady.

Noah: I do. Confused single friends still ask for that 'redheads' number.

Jordan: Gosh.

Noah: And everyone always goes on about how good your impression is... so I sometimes tell them I taught you the impression cause you couldn't do it.

Jordan: What!

Noah: Clearly I'm not memorable. I might get really fat.

Jordan: I will support you the best I can.

Noah: Depends on how fat I get. Right that's mine. What's your secret?

Jordan: I've been seeing other comedians.

Noah: That's ridiculous. What like... sketch troupes? Stands-ups on the side?

Jordan: I've been doing impro shows on the sly.

Noah: Okay.

Jordan: And they laugh at my jokes.

Noah: Well you're a very funny guy.

Jordan: You're upset.

Noah: Why would I be upset? If you need acting lessons -

Jordan: I should've been a rapper!

Noah: I should've been a dictator!

Jordan: Lets never keep secrets again.

Nice. You're finalists in this year's Sketchfest competition, set to take to the stage on the 5th November. Nervous, or quietly confident you can vanquish the opposition?

We're both football fans of differing London teams and we always joke about winning silverware, so we're both quite competitive. Keep Noah away from UNO and Jordan away from Monopoly, but considering we've only been doing live shows as a duo this year, we're just very pleased to be alongside all these amazing acts. Anything else is a bonus... you know... a trophy.

Meanwhile, you're staging your own show - Wheel Of Sketch - on 10th November at the Museum Of Comedy. What can people expect?

A lot of people asked us to bring back some old characters - the old ladies Betty & June chatting pop music, a new Blackman .v. Soupman sketch, a new Luther sketch that involves the Teletubbies. But in true Noah & Jordan style, we have a wide range of themes covering the Referendum to make-up sex with your partner.

All we have on the night are titles on a wheel and an array of fancy dress. The ordering of the show is mostly decided by the spin of the Wheel Of Sketch! Sometimes it's a slick transition and other times carnage doth ensue. It's all work in progress but we're really enjoying deconstructing what a live sketch show can be.

Any plans for 2017 yet?

Weekly online content including podcasts and a new web series. More live shows with perhaps a cheeky Edinburgh debut. Comedy domination!

Failing that, we're going to re-brand and take over the world as a dictating rapping duo.

For more Noah & Jordan, see their Website, Twitter, Facebook and YouTube