Richard Herring 2024

[lauraxsynthesis]

Cards on the table I've enjoyed Herring's stuff fairly consistently since Fist of Fun. Had to take a break a few years back when I realised following all his output was taking upwards of 3 hours a week, but it seemed like time to see him live again. So tonight I went to a WIP of Can I Have My Ball Back - his show about having testicular cancer during the pandemic. His book of the same title came out in 2022.

The first few minutes were very joke-packed which was a brilliant start. For me, the funniest bit of the whole show was at the very beginning, when he said ruefully,

Spoiler alert

"I always had trouble keeping double acts together." He gave us time to let the full truth of that sink in for everyone in the room.

[close]

There's a lot of stuff about his children, which I usually hate from comedians, but I enjoyed these particular stories of his 7 year old daughter's disdain for him. He occasionally uses slides, including to reflect on things from his past career that seem to foreshadow him having to lose a testicle. I'm not the only person occasionally exasperated by the extent to which he excavates his life ad nauseam, but this bit was actually fascinating - just a few examples: he did a book and show about penises that essentially ignored testicles, there was a TMWRNJ sketch about a Testicle Fairy that pays you like a tooth fairy, he did that show about Hitler...

The show still needs lots of tightening up with momentum added and less delving into the minutiae of things. Much of it either isn't included for comedy or isn't funny yet, but one expects a show about cancer to have a fair amount of serious stuff. Also, the show isn't for the squeamish. Rich said that when he was doing Talking Cock, a man fainted in a show and that he'd had some fainting in CIHMBB audiences so far as well. A bit about how the surgery was done was a bit gross, but it was actually later in the show that we started having casualties. One man in the front row fainted when Rich was talking about his 2 weeks in bed recovering, and 10 minutes later another man was on the sway when nothing particularly medical was being mentioned from what I can remember. Richard took it in his stride - "Oh, there's another one going". The Bill Murray is a small room, so that was about 7% of the male audience by my reckoning. The first fella got taken outside for some air by his friend but came back 15 minutes later and stayed to the end. The other dude's female friend got him some water from the bar and he powered through to the end. I really felt we all went through something together.
 
The show ended with what I assume will be the end of the final version -

Spoiler alert

a ventriloquism bit with Right Bollock, the puppet he had made of his diseased testicle. Folks who have seen Rich on Twitch over the last few years will have seen this before. Rich was well over time so we only got to see a bit of this, but it was funny as fuck. Stewart was mentioned during this bit lol.

[close]

Looking forward to seeing the final show. Very glad the cancer didn't kill him.

[EggsLikeABird]

He loves puppets, doesnt he?

[Ham Bap]

I'd pay money to go and see this but he's not coming to N.Ireland so alas I won't.

Seriously though, sounds like a decent show.

[Twilkes]

He loves puppets, doesnt he?

His splintered cock was the cause of the cancer, apparently.

Have tickets for May, hope it's tightened up a bit, he generally reviews his WIPs/gigs in his blog anyway so at least I'll get some kind of perspective before going into it.

[Mobbd]

it was actually later in the show that we started having casualties. One man in the front row fainted when Rich was talking about his 2 weeks in bed recovering, and 10 minutes later another man was on the sway when nothing particularly medical was being mentioned from what I can remember. Richard took it in his stride - "Oh, there's another one going". The Bill Murray is a small room, so that was about 7% of the male audience by my reckoning. The first fella got taken outside for some air by his friend but came back 15 minutes later and stayed to the end. The other dude's female friend got him some water from the bar and he powered through to the end. I really felt we all went through something together.

Wow!

Thanks for review, Laura. Like you, I'm a long-serving Herring fan who struggled during the Corbyn melt years and can't be doing with no stone clearing/snooker/puppet show shite (though I do think he can be quite funny with just Ally). I'd be very, very glad if he's back on the horse. I will of course go to see this. Excited for it even.

[Mobbd]

From today's Warming Up:

But tonight's show was fun and the first half was loose and tight in the right places. The secnd half still needs work and was again disrupted by men passing out. This is a very weird phenomenon with this show. There is some light discussion of how the operation went and the after effects and four times now at the Bill Murray (and once at the Ealing gig I did) a member of the audience (always male, always testicled) has had this weirdly similar reaction. It's like they have been hypnotised and passed out, whilst still somehow almost awake. With eyes open they start lolling and go limp and it looks like something pretty serious is happening. I don't know if it's because the Bill Murray is a little claustrophobic so it might not happen elsewhere, but I suspect it's more to do with a sympathetic reaction to the loss of a friend. The fact it happened twice tonight was a little freaky. I might have to put a trigger warning on this. Both gentlemen were fine (as everyone has been so far), but it's a great responsibility for me to have this power (it also happened once during Talking Cock when I was talking about penile injuries - I ended up going to that guy's wedding in Trinidad weirdly, so hopefully all the men I've poleaxed on this tour will invite me to theirs too).

https://richardherring.com/warmingup/15/4/2024/index.html

[The Mollusk]

Men are such pussies

[lauraxsynthesis]

This film is referenced in Rich's new show. He's very good in it.

[Twilkes]

I also liked this one:

Direct link if the embedding doesn't work:

I still often say "Sit on iiiiiiiiiiiit...." if I'm trying to get my kids to sit on something.

[iamcoop]

Wow!

Thanks for review, Laura. Like you, I'm a long-serving Herring fan who struggled during the Corbyn melt years and can't be doing with no stone clearing/snooker/puppet show shite (though I do think he can be quite funny with just Ally). I'd be very, very glad if he's back on the horse. I will of course go to see this. Excited for it even.

This exactly ^

I have so much affection for Richard though, and I've always felt he's got an absolutely career-defining show in him somewhere, so I really hope it ends up being this. It's the perfect foil for his approach really (of course I'd rather no-one suffers from cancer but I think you know what I mean), so I'd like to catch this when it's really into the run.

[Mobbd]

This film is referenced in Rich's new show. He's very good in it.

Heh. "May I ask why?"

I saw this before but mixed it up in my memory so I kept waiting for the toaster robot to turn up.

[Mobbd]

I also liked this one:

I still often say "Sit on iiiiiiiiiiiit...." if I'm trying to get my kids to sit on something.

That's pretty good. Like the premise. Rich is effortlessly funny and Female Stevie is notably good.

It seems overly scripted though; I'd like it better if it was looser, more improvised with a bit of joyful corpsing. Stevie's character's escalation was unrealistic. And they shouldn't have referred to real Rich or got little Richie out. The weirdness of Ally being the sexist old dad was enough.

[lauraxsynthesis]

I thought the horrific little Richie was the funniest bit

[dharmashark]

I'm seeing the new show in a couple of weeks. Does he show any photos/video of his treatment at any point? Or is it just him describing it? I'm a bit squeamish, so I'd probably need to look away.

[Twilkes]

I'm seeing the new show in a couple of weeks. Does he show any photos/video of his treatment at any point? Or is it just him describing it? I'm a bit squeamish, so I'd probably need to look away.

Not sure on the visuals, but six men have passed out at the show so far. There are slides in the show but no idea what he shows.

[cakeinmilk]

There's no gross out pictures at all

Spoiler alert

unless you're squeamish at the sight of a child's cartoon drawing of Herring dying in a fire

[close]

[non capisco]

Yeah, it was just him describing it at the WIP show I saw. If he's gonna introduce slides for the full show he's looking at wiping out the entire male audience en masse like that scene in Stand By Me except fainting instead of puking.

Fwiw I didn't think there was anything that would cause you to pass out and when he was doing a bit of crowd work with a guy in the front row and telling his partner "watch him, I've had men faint in this section" I thought it was just a bit. Clearly not though!

Funny show though, would like to see it again when it's in its full incarnation. The puppet bit was great.

[DrGreggles]

I have so much affection for Richard though, and I've always felt he's got an absolutely career-defining show in him somewhere

I think The Headmaster's Son might have been it.

[Pranet]

It wouldn't surprise me if the subject matter is affecting ticket sales a bit though. I imagine a lot of people thinking, a show about bollock cancer? Nah I'm alright ta.

I wouldn't mind going but the none of the current dates are convenient for me.

[Mobbd]

I think The Headmaster's Son might have been it.

Yes, this is probably right.

My feelings change though! I used to say the original Christ and Cock shows were the best. I still have very fond feelings towards them but Headmaster and OFI40 were probably the finest shows in terms of consistent goodness throughout. I remember coming home from OFI40 (Edinburgh edition) and not just feeling pleased as a Herring fan but generally excited at the idea of live comedy and what it can do.

That was 2007 and 2008. If he can get even close to that level again I'll be very happy. Hell, I'll take Yoghurt/Menage levels. Really looking forward to the ball show. I'm there for it.

[madhair60]

second half of Someone Likes Yoghurt, that's my pick

[madhair60]

does anyone know where i can find the Collings & Herrin podcast, preferably in downloadable form

[Pranet]

It is here: https://www.comedy.co.uk/podcasts/collingsherrin/

[madhair60]

thanks. this is going to take ages but it will be worth it*

*possibly

[Pink Gregory]

thanks. this is going to take ages but it will be worth it*

*possibly

their 6music run covering for Adam and Joe was on Fourble last time I checked as well

[lauraxsynthesis]

second half of Someone Likes Yoghurt, that's my pick

Dud that include the salmon-sized sperm? I thought that was well funny.

RIP Collings and Herrin I still mourn you

[madhair60]

that was the first half I believe, which i also enjoyed

[sevendaughters]

second half of Someone Likes Yoghurt, that's my pick

I can't remember which is which, is that the title routine? I absolutely love that. Laser pedantry.

[madhair60]

second half, yeah. it's fantastic, just gets funnier and funnier. Herring nails it.

[FeederFan500]

I enjoyed listening to the Collings and Herrin podcasts a few years ago despite the poor sound, I am a huge sucker for paper reviews/two blokes laughing at silly press stories though which was a lot of the early ones. Still haven't got through them all mind, wish I had Bernards watch just to listen to all the podcasts I like.