- Sean Cameron
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
Comedy double acts are my favourite. From the timeless antics of Laurel and Hardy to the chemistry of Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, the magic of two comedians playing off each other is always a winner. Of course, this has informed my own literary double act, Rex Milton and Eddie Miles — and what makes them work is the classic dynamic often called the straight man and the funny man.
I prefer the terminology of the buffoon and the clown, because it makes it clear that neither of them is truly sensible. They’re both ridiculous in their own way. The buffoon is usually the more straight-faced member of the pair, trying to project dignity and control, while the clown barrels in with reckless energy and disrupts everything.
I listened to an interview with Sacha Baron Cohen, who studied clowning in Paris. He explained the clown knows he’s a fool, but the buffoon does not. The buffoon takes himself seriously, which is exactly why he keeps getting humbled by the clown’s antics. And without the buffoon, the clown isn’t funny.
The comedy double act is a theatrical tradition that dates back to the earliest days of performance. The success of these duos often hinges on the interplay between contrasting characters, creating a dynamic that amplifies the humour.
Here are some of my favourite double acts who inspire Rex and Eddie:
Stan Laurel & Oliver Hardy
Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy's mastery of physical comedy and their ability to evoke genuine empathy from the audience set them apart as true comedic icons. Some of my favourites of their films, are 'The Music Box,' 'Sons of the Desert,' and 'Way Out West.'
Stan Laurel was the lovable idiot, bumbling through life, innocent and always getting into trouble. On the flip side, Oliver Hardy played the frustrated one, trying to keep things on track, but always ending up in the same mess.
As a child, their shorts would play on BBC2 on weekday mornings; whenever we were off school, my brothers and I could watch an hour of Laurel & Hardy. I love that their dynamic worked in every scenario. They could be policemen in one episode and decorators in the next. One of the reasons I gravitated towards Rex and Eddie being detectives is because a case could take them into any situation and they could go in disguise as anyone, allowing me the freedom to write a series with as much variety of fine messes as Laurel and Hardy got into.
Simon Pegg & Nick Frost
These two are masters of blending genre parody with comedy. Films like Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz have made them icons. Pegg, the sharp, grounded one, is often balanced by Frost’s chaotic, enthusiastic energy.
The Cornetto trilogy is as much genre satire as it a double act. Putting their characters through action/horror/sci-fi tropes made me think about what my characters would do within the mystery genre.
Morecambe & Wise
The dynamic between Eric Morecambe and Ernie Wise was built on impeccable timing and a cheeky brand of humor. Eric’s knack for playful insults and outrageous jokes often put Ernie in the position of the straight man. Their Christmas specials became a staple of British holiday entertainment and are still remembered fondly today. Ernie makes the best buffoon when he's trying to be a serious writer but refers to his productions as "A play, that what I wrote."
In 1965 the pair stared in The Intelligence Men, a send-up of James Bond and Harry Palmer. The next year they made That Riviera Touch which was a crime caper where the two men got caught up in a jewel robbery while in France. Again, a British double act playing around with a serious genre. In terms of physical description, I think imagining these two in their late twenties would be the closest to Rex and Eddie. Eddie is the shorter of the two, Rex is tall with dark hair and glasses.
Kermit the Frog & Fozzie Bear
I don't know if everything thinks of these two as a double act since The Muppets are a larger ensemble, but for me, the dynamic between them is the highlight. In 'The Great Muppet Caper' they play "identical" twins who work for a newspaper as a journalist and photographer. The angry editor scene is also the inspiration for when Rex and Eddie get fired as security guards.
Creating a Double Act
Writing Rex and Eddie, I ended up creating my own double act. Eddie is the buffoon trying to prove he's a real detective with his suit and tie, his note taking and generally trying to look professional., Rex on the other hand is there for the chaos and always has his fingers crossed for an old-fashioned noir. Ultimately, the goal they both want is to solve a mystery and right a wrong. They just have different ways of going about it. Every Rex and Eddie book has a mystery at its centre, but the real story is always their friendship and how it is challenged and evolves. The cases, the disguises, and the settings change — but the constant is how these two work together, and what each challenge reveals about them.
When It Rains is my newest mystery, and it puts that partnership under pressure. Rex and Eddie investigate the local news station to uncover who’s stalking the weather reporter — and in the process, the case opens up old wounds, revealing what first cemented them as an inseparable team.
Pre-order When It Rains today
