Someone Likes Yoghurt

Clip from his DVD

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I relegated Mr Herring to the back of my 'must see' list after seeing him do a very disappointing 15 minute stint at a BBC Best of the Fest night at Edinburgh a couple of years ago. However, my friend bought us tickets for his show this year, & I was completely taken by surprise by how much I loved it. We also saw him at Pimms Summerfest last night, and giggled throughout his set, even though we'd seen some of the material such a short time ago. Which proves that its quality stuff. I am now a convert, and thoroughly appreciate the bloke with the child-sized hands. Bravo!

Jo Phelan, August 2008

I see far too many stand-ups. I am a comic tart. In my view in the last two years Herring has strode to the front of the pack in the UK stand ups for innovation. In his comic persona he is polite middle classiness on a stick. He collects for charity at every show, always provides a full free programme for longer sets, and keeps an exhaustive blog for his fans. But and it s a big but, he is no longer an Oxbridge silly chappy he is now replete with a midlife crisis - childish and childless - as he puts it - and a cruel streak. His new Edinburgh show is pushing at what stand up can be. Which in truth is worse he asks - Maxime Carr or Steve Martin's poor comic acting? Steve Martin in Herring's World. The new show has left behind the big themes such as Catholicism but keep an abiding interest with the illogic of blaming the victim. He is not one to work an audience beyond what is expected of a stand up preferring to rely on hammering out wonderful turns of phrases. His is for the most part not our own situation but he is Everyman and more importantly funny enough to interest us. This is not a master at work more importantly he is someone with the guts to take stand up in new and for me funnier direction. Something is rotten in the state of Herring and it s to our advantage. Go and see him you missed Hicks, didn t you he is moving into that league.

Ben Heal, September 2006

Richard is one of the best comics of our generation. I am so pleased he still enjoys doing his shows and stays in touch with his audience, instead of disappearing into the safe world of writing. He does do script writing for a lot of major British comedies but doesn't shy away from the intensity of the stage. Well worth going to see him live if you get a chance.

Tom, July 2006

Saw Richard Herring in Edinburgh last August. Was expecting something good, but he was actually harrowingly piss-poor. I laughed once, and that was at a heckle. If it wasn't for his association with Stewart Lee, he'd be little more than a part-time comic dragging his arse from one students' union bar to another. When I saw Herring he deconstructed some of his material for comedic effect (and probably to show off his intelligence and self-awareness); unfortunately, this is something Daniel Kitson does much, much better. Sorry to be negative, but this man woefully disappointed me.

Colin Smethers, July 2006

Not funny at all, quite embarrassing in fact. The two sixth formers behind me laughed their socks off, but no one else did, which pretty much sums it up

Matthew, June 2006

My favourite living British comedian. Saw Someone Likes Yoghurt in October last year and it is without question the funniest stand-up show I've ever seen live. A work of art.

Mandy Moore, May 2006

Saw Rich last night at Pizza on the Park. Hadn't encountered him since listening to Fist of Fun on the radio as a little chap, which I loved. He's got alot more bitter since then. A passive-aggressive style of delivery with some great jokes. Made a switch to being openly aggressive when dealing with a particularly cuntish heckler. The way be completely crushed this idiot was painfully hilarious. Good stuff.

Ed Shepherd, February 2006

Herring seems to me to have made a quantum leap in his comedy this year - yet few have noticed. His stage comic persona is darker and more extreme and having a serious stab at redefining what is comedically acceptable. He has taken remnants of his misplaced arrogant but likeable Somerset student and sensibly as he prepares for his 40's regrouped to try to develop both his and our humour. Examples? Constant remarks on the acceptability of his new humour. Stretching a single theme so far its both dizzying and comedically revealing as he examines minute internal logic. Callbacks within callbacks. His old trick of misplacing responsibility (e.g. magpies held accountable for the unfairness of the magpie nursery rhyme) is renewed with ideas on how trout sized sperm would encourage a more responsible attitude in their owners. When someone can have you in tucks and educate you about the dangers of Catholocism for an Aids riddled Africa and social justice at the same time you are an encouragingly long distance from Lee Evans and Billy Connolly. How many comedians do you know that can convincingly twin tragedy and fun in the same moment? Herring is I suspect on the form of his life. If you want to get away from the endless stream of cloned observational gagsters, and see an exciting new direction, Herring is smoking at the moment.

Ben Heal, December 2005

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