Brighton Comedy Festival: Richard Herring, Brighton Dome Studio Theatre, October 12

12:03pm Monday 15th October 2012 in The Critic By Gary Scattergood

Talking c*** was Richard Herring’s attempt to do for the male member what the Vagina Monologues did for the, er, vagina. It was time to bring the old John Thomas out into the open, so to speak. And Herring did it with gusto.

Suited and booted and stood in front of a giant projector screen, he delivered a rapid-fire lecture packed with every penile-related fact he could get his grubby little hands on.

Most of these were the results of 10,000 surveys that people had filled in on his website, which aside from uncovering the bizarre names people give their manhood and the predictable acts that 30% of men have tried to do to themselves, also touched on more sensitive issues, such as genuine crises of confidence and self-esteem issues stemming from ignorance, censorship and societal stupidity.

Let’s not get too worthy, though, because this set-up also gave him free rein to unleash every playground penis joke in his ample armoury. And why not? Especially when he relentlessly zipped from funny fact, to great gag, to serious stat without stopping, stuttering or seemingly pausing for breath.

Aside from the subject matter, this was a flawless masterclass in comedic delivery that proved Herring can more than hold his own with comedy’s big boys.