HOWZAT

The original idea had been to write a film set in the 17th century called The King’s Evil. But then, in a North London supermarket, Pemberton suddenly thought how odd it would be to look up from the freezer counter and come face to face with Pauline. A new film took shape. The League worried that they would be perceived as being self-indulgent by playing themselves, but ploughed on. They decided that the emphasis would be on how their creations viewed them rather than the other way round.

The characters kidnap Pemberton, and Herr Lipp, who is also played by Pemberton (keep up at the back), takes his place in the real family home only to discover that he makes a genuinely better father than the actor. Hilary Briss goes from murderous baddie to community saviour; Geoff Tipps from zero to hero. “All the characters undergo real transformations,” says Gatiss. This is something of a self-consciously postmodern spectacular. The film is as much about the process of storytelling as it is a silly story featuring giraffe orgasms and masturbatory mini-devils. But Gatiss denies any high-minded intent: “We’re not actively trying to destroy Royston Vasey on any other level than making what we hope is a funny film. We’re not deconstructing characters or ourselves.”

Yet the film makes a big deal about the “real League” being keen to disassociate themselves from their Royston Vasey creations.

“We’re still fond of those characters,” says Gatiss. “But it’s ten years since we created them so there is an element of us asking: ‘What shall we do next?’ I think it would be very hard to go back and do another TV series like the previous ones after this movie.”

Does that mean no more TV show? “We never say never,” says Gatiss. “But it would have to be very different. Look at Alan Partridge: that started out a sketch, became a chat show, then a brilliantly bleak sitcom. I’m looking at the moment of perhaps taking three characters — Pauline, Ricky and Ross might work — and crafting a show around them. That’s if the film is a success. And that’s a big if.”

Fans and non-fans at test screenings have liked it, but not everyone is impressed. James Christopher, The Times film critic, says: “I thought the ‘trick’ of having the characters stepping through the fourth wall to haunt their ‘real life’ alter egos was too naff for words. I’m usually a huge fan, but this was criminally boring. I think they’ve flogged the Vasey scenario to death.”

Certainly the show suffers from a kind of Fawlty Towers effect: because of re-runs and DVDs, it feels as if Royston Vasey has been around longer than the show’s actual three seasons.

It was undoubtedly a big influence on new shows — “I think we were definitely the start of the ‘dark comedy’ movement,” says Gatiss, “although once you name something, it dies. The acceptable norms of comedy have altered completely. Things that were once completely beyond the pale are now almost mainstream. I think we have genuinely contributed to a debasing of society and morality. I don’t think Nighty Night or Little Britain would have been allowed on mainstream channels had we not pioneered down roads less travelled.”

But this “movement” may also have had its day. Gatiss proffers that we live in “troubled times” and, as such, the kind of comedy the League paved the way for may be on its way out. “I think there might be a movement away from the dark stuff,” he says, “to something more gettable, something you can just kick off your shoes and watch.”

Yet the League still think there is potential in the Royston Vasey franchise. They will tour a big new stage show, The League of Gentlemen Are Behind You, next autumn. Gatiss says it is a “magical panto spectacular featuring Royston Vasey favourites and dancing boys — what’s the point of dancing girls?” Each of the men is involved in his own projects — Gatiss has written a few of the new Doctor Whos (“I had to go on to Radio 4’s PM and defend its scariness, which was a dream come true”) and is writing the show’s Christmas special; he’s also appearing in the new series of Nighty Night, and has a role in Woody Allen’s Match Point (as does Pemberton). Shearsmith will soon appear in As You Like It in the West End with Sienna Miller. Dyson has written a comedy drama, Funland, which Gatiss will star in.

If Apocalypse is a success, Royston Vasey may well live on. “We know some will say ‘Can’t they think of anything new to write?’,” Gatiss says. “The big thing for us was to produce a British comedy with ambition — something bold, funny and original.”

He pauses. “We only hope audiences don’t tut and say: ‘Wish they had sent them to the Costas’.”

The League of Gentlemen’s Apocalypse is released on June 3

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