Charlie Vero-Martin
Published: Friday 18th October 2024
It was the first of times, it was the worst of times. And right now we're rapidly approaching scarytime: Halloween, the nearest Britain gets to The Purge as rogue teens roam the streets demanding sweets. And cash.
Where better to avoid them, then, than our favourite crypt: London's Museum of Comedy, and Weirdos' very welcome Halloween spectacular, which runs for three nights and has a timely transatlantic theme. The title? Qanon vs Dracula. Bloody marvellous.
Scene-stealing stalwart Charlie Vero-Martin is their spooky spokesperson for this one. What can she tell us?
"Well I can't give away too much, mainly because we haven't started rehearsing," admits the Edinburghian actor/comic. "I have read the script though! I think it might be the strangest and, dare I say, even most satirical Weirdos show we've done?"
Also in the cast are Weirdos' cardboard-alchemist auteur Adam Larter - there's a sneak preview of one lovingly homemade prop, somewhere on this page - and his comedic coven (deep breath): Ali Brice, Alwin Solanky, Aniruddh Ojha, Bec Hill, Beth Story, Cerys Bradley, Charlie Miller, Matthew Highton, Michael Brunström, Olivia Deane, Sam Dutton and Sam Nicoresti.
Any hints who they'll be playing then? Is Vero a hero?
"I'm VERY excited to play my character. I've played distressed, melodramatic mums in the last couple of shows (not complaining, they were great roles) but this time I get to play a much more dominant, riotous type... I really admire Adam's feminist forward thinking in this nuanced casting."
He's nothing if not nuanced. Now, in honour of the season, Charlie, let's play First Scare, Worst Scare.
The first Halloween you remember?
My dad's birthday is the 1st November so I always remember having Halloween parties as a kid with all of my cousins. The best game is when my mum would hang jammy donuts on strings from above (like hanged men?!) and we'd have to eat them with our hands behind our backs.
Favourite scary movie?
Cabin In The Woods is a great film and the zombies really scare me. I used to run out of the room when the Thriller video came on. I don't like zombies.
Worst Halloween?
When I moved to London I didn't realise just how far everything really was. My partner and I spent most of the evening on a bus getting to my friend's flat and by the time we arrived the party was over. Luckily we were dressed as Cyril and Cheryl from [animated sitcom] Archer so people just thought we'd been late at work.
Your greatest fancy dress moment?
My sister and I once dressed as a headless ghost. She was the body and I was the head.
And what's the most regrettable character you ever came up with?
I once tried to dress up as a shark and everyone thought I was goth sunflower.
Any memorable trick-or-treating?
As a Scottish person it is my duty to remind everyone that we (and the Irish) invented Halloween, not the Americans. So I have many memories of GUISING, making tumpshies out of turnips, dooking for apples and nuts and having to do whole song and dance numbers to get any sweets out of the neighbours.
The best Halloweeny thing you ever saw?
Not sure if this counts but I used to be a tour guide at Mary King's Close, which is a bunch of covered-over streets in Edinburgh and apparently one of the most haunted places in the world.
As part of the staff Halloween party there was a scavenger hunt on the underground site. As we all dressed up as 16th century people for a living, we took dressing up for the party pretty seriously. I was a Les Mis zombie and my future husband was the Ice King from Adventure Time. Oh, 2013...
Your weirdest review, heckle or post-gig reaction?
I've had a reviewer call me Italian. I'm not Italian. I've had reviews say I was putting on a broad Scottish accent. I'm Scottish, that's my accent. My Persephone character has also been described by many male reviewers as being "sex obsessed". She never talks about sex. She just has large nipples.
How would you be spending Halloween, if not with the Weirdos?
Teaching an improv class. I'm actually having to get cover. Thanks for reminding me of my really good financial decisions.
Weirdos Comedy Halloween Special: Qanon vs Dracula is at London's Museum of Comedy from October 31st to November 2nd. Tickets
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