Interview: Richard Herring

Born in East Yorkshire but raised in Cheddar, Richard Herring has been a feature of Britain’s comedy scene since the late 80s, coming to prominence through his double act with Stewart Lee as Lee and Herring. After success in the 90s with surreal BBC sketch show Fist of Fun, as well as writing for Spitting Image and On the Hour, Richard concentrated on his stand-up repertoire.
When last in Bristol, he sold out the Old Vic with his unique blend of wry observational humour. He returns next month to the Colston Hall to perform alongside Jack Dee, Jason Manford and Susan Calman in Stand Out – Stand Up for Slapstick, raising funds for the brilliant annual Slapstick Festival.

Well, what brings you back to Bristol, Richard?
I’m from Cheddar, that’s partly why. I used to visit as a kid. It’s always been one of my favourite cities in the world and you are very lucky to have the Slapstick Festival to celebrate comedy old and new. Though most of my falling over happens in life rather than on stage I am very proud to support the Festival, which makes a brilliant city even better.

What have you been working on recently?
I’ve just finished a tour called Happy, about becoming a father and marriage, and whether I have finally found contentment and peace. Which I think I have, to an extent. I have found it hard to be happy, though looking back I can’t see why: I have had the jammiest life ever. I have definitely focused too much on my job, but I love my job.
I’m working on Richard Herring: The Best now: 90 minutes of my best work, from 30 years of comedy in Edinburgh and all over the country. I was struck by how much of my old material still works. I was sad in my late 30s, worried I’d left it too late for love and a family, but the last few shows have gradually seen me get my life (sort of) together.

How has your material evolved over time, then?
The show is certainly becoming more story-based. It’s probably because of the blog. [Herring obsessively writes a daily blog and hasn’t missed a post for over 5,000 days.] There have been times when I’ve thought about giving up the blog – but somehow I can never bring myself to do it, and it is such a fertile place for finding new material.

What difference has having a family made?
You worry you’re going to soften up and get less edgy but having a baby makes you think of horrible things all the time – you’re worried about things that can go wrong. I think about horrible things happening to me, my wife and my baby. It makes me think about dark and weirder things. I think comedy is essentially laughter in the face of horrible things. It’s a way of confronting those things and thereby overcoming them. But parenthood comes with its own particular set of anxieties – and I’ve exploited those to the full.

Richard Herring plays Stand Up for Slapstick at Colston Hall on September 14. For more information, visit www.colstonhall.org/shows/stand-stand-slapstick