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Richard Herring - The Headmaster's Son

Richard Herring has decided to take a break from his mid-life crisis this year. Instead he is taking a look back to his teenage years, reviewing the evidence of his younger self and trying to figure out what has made him the man he is today.

Herring delivers the first 10 minutes of his set as a slick monologue. His delivery is superbly entertaining as he gives us a brief insight in the problems that can arise from being the Headmaster's son. He then relaxes his material, slowing the pace a little and this is where the laughs really open up. He describes himself in his youth, backing up his claims with excerpts from his teenage diary. This was a particular highlight of the show and he had the audience roaring along with his various adolescent views. He cleverly ties the younger Richard Herring to the man you see in front of you and it's vastly amusing.

He is, at all times, self-effacing which works well when he reaches material that strays close to any moral boundaries the audience has. He dances around these boundaries time and again, as is well known, but he never loses the laughter. Instead he counteracts his cruder silliness with a sweet seriousness which balances out his set. I've seen Herring a fair few times now and I'd have to say that The Headmaster's Son is his most enjoyable show yet.

*****

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