When I finally get to talk to the actors on set it's close to midnight. They started at 5pm, and aren't scheduled to wrap until just before dawn. I'm led into the incredibly elaborate interior of the vampire flat. Earlier, the production designer had described how detail-oriented Jemaine is and how specific he was in creating an authentic world for these vampires to inhabit. n.
Contrary to his undead appearance, and the late hour, Matt Berry who plays the foppish Laszlo, is incredibly lively when I ask about his character.
"We're hundreds of years old," he booms. "So we've pretty much done everything. Not only to each other, but to every other living thing. Within reason."
Natasia Demetriou who assumes the role of Nadia, an hypnotic seductress and wife to Laszlo agrees, "It's actually a very modern open marriage. It's very millennial."
Conversation turns to the gory elements of the show and Kayvan Novak, who plays self -appointed leader Nandor the Relentless, starts describing the ins and outs of feasting on the blood of the innocent, before, suddenly, they're whisked back to set.
Watching the monitors I marvel at how skilfully the actors all improvise. They're so funny, with so much spontaneity it's hard to know where the script ends and the ad-libbing begins.
It all appears to be going well until there's a long pause, followed by confusion and, eventually, barely contained laughter.
Taika, who is directing this episode finally pipes up, chuckling, "I don't know where we are in the script... Let's cut. That's perfect."
LOWDOWN
When: What We Do in the Shadows premieres next Thursday, 7:30pm on SoHo2 and is streaming same day on Neon.
