Latitude 2013: Five minutes with... The Noise Next Door

Brighton comedy troupe The Noise Next Door aren't just five handsome dudes in smart ties - they're also improv comedians par excellence. We asked them a few questions ahead of their appearance at this year's Latitude festival.

Which latitude are you on right now?

50.8300° N – Brighton! We've been based Brighton for the last four years because we do like to be beside the seaside.

Sum up what you do for us in one sentence for anyone who might not know…

We perform comedy - improv comedy to be exact. We take audience suggestions and transform them into epically funny scenes and songs in the blink of an eye. Sounds dodgy? Fear not! We are five-time sell-out veterans of the Edinburgh Fringe and are one of the country’s most sought after comedy-club headliners – you are in safe hands.

What’s the best thing about performing live?

For us, it’s giving the audience exactly what they want. Our act is entirely fueled by audience suggestion so it’s always down to the people in the room/tent what they see. We've performed in front of corporate dinners, the British forces, secondary school students and metal fans at ‘Download’ - they all wanted something different from us and that’s all part of the fun. We can’t wait to see what the people of ‘Latitude’ are after...

Do you have any pre-show rituals?

Not really any more. We've had rituals over the years; group huddles, warm-up songs, inappropriate touching... The usual. But they've all slipped out of vogue. The best thing for us to be doing before we go on stage is having a laugh amongst the five of us. If we are in a good mood, we’ll put on a good show.

What’s your best festival story for us? The stranger the better!

Last year at Download we witnessed Bob Slayer, a truly insane comedian, do a wheelie bin stage dive. He used a folding table as a drawbridge from the stage to the audience barrier and had an audience member roll him into the crowd. Said crowd then joyously tossed him around for nearly five minutes. Sounds dangerous? It was. he cracked several of his vertebrae! Moral - Wheelie bin crowd surfing is a rubbish idea. (Sorry.)

Tell us a something you've never told an interviewer before…

We all cried at the end of Blind Side starring Sandra Bullock. It must just have been an emotional day in general. We aren't usually that sensitive... honest.

What’s your signature cooking dish?

Does a cheese board count? Say what you want about The Noise Next Door but my gosh do we know how to throw an epic cheese night. The rules are simple. Every guest has to bring a cheese that they feel somehow reflects their personality. Always a good laugh discussing the merits of everyones choices and as a significant bonus you get to eat loads of cheese. Chutneys are also vital.

What book/film/record etc. changed your life and why?

It’s hard to speak as a group on something like this but as a unit we will plump for Jurassic Park. It came at a time in our separate childhoods where we were young enough to be blown away but old enough to understand why. It’s a film we all love to this day. There’s an enormous sense of escapism, it discusses the ethical dilemma of man’s urge to play god and, perhaps most importantly, it’s got massive dinosaurs running about in it.

Knock Knock, who’s there?

Bob Dylan... This is heaven, right?

And lastly, summarise Latitude in three words

For cool people.