Way-out, laddish humour’ – Richard Herring and Stewart Lee brought their This Morning with Richard Not Judy show to the Woodville Halls, Gravesend Award-winning duo Lee and Herring have the confidence of market traders, the gift of the gab, an outstanding ability to exchange lines and ideas and are clearly the most natural and well-matched of partners.
On their current tour, which carries the title of their television series, This Morning with Richard Not Judy, their throwaway show bills warned: “Will sell out.”
But there were plenty of empty seats at the Woodville Halls, a fact they were quick to inject into their opening routine. The constant, if jokey, put-downs of Gravesend and the locals became yawningly repetitive.
It seems fair game for a touch of the topicals but harping on about Gravesend being Kent’s outdoor toilet, a former swamp, and the black heart of Britain suggests limited material.
Stewart Lee and Richard Herring are dressed with shirt tails hanging out and perform throughout wearing head mikes. Behind the smiling personalities and stage presence, theirs is a way-out, laddish humour and they are intending to shock. George Michael gets the full treatment, a man from the stalls claiming to be Hew G Erection is crowned king for the night, another is asked how often he has sex and when national average sex figures are the topic, laughing girls are dismissed as “cackling witches”.
There is also a long and taste-less routine about the grief which followed the death of Diana, Princess of Wales (which they could not do on TV) which is presented with mock respect. Also involved is keyboard player Richard Thomas who, with his song lyrics, pushes the boundaries even further out.
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com