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.
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Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
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FBC, finalgear.com
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Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
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Richard Herring, Comedian
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Guest1001, Youtube
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Emilyistrendy, Youtube
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Len Firewood, Twitter
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Etienne, Chortle.com
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Mini-x2, readytogo.net
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Tin Frog, Twitter
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Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
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Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
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Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
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Microcuts 22, Twitter
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Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
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Danazawa, Youtube
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Peter Fears, Twitter
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Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
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Al Murray, Comedian
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John Robins, Comedian
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Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
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Anon, westhamonline.com
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98rosjon, Twitter
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Anon, BBC Complaints Log
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Stokeylitfest, Twitter
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Aaron, comedy.co.uk
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Carcrazychica, Youtube
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Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
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Horatio Melvin, Twitter
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Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
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Foxfoxton, Youtube
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Joe, Independent.co.uk
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Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
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Brighton Argus
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Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
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Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
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Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
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GRTak, finalgear.com
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Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
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Peter Ould, Youtube
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Frankie Boyle, Comedian
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Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
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Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
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Pnethor, pne-online.com
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General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
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NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
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Robert Gavin, Twitter
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James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
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Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
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Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
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Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
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Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
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Lents, redandwhitekop.com
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Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
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Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
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Chez, Chortle.com
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Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
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Sweeping Curves, Twitter
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Hiewy, Youtube
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Gabrielle, Chortle.com
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Stuart, Chortle
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Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
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Kozzy06, Youtube
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Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
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Aiden Hearn, Twitter
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Rubyshoes, Twitter
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BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
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Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
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Dick Socrates, Twitter
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Clampdown59, Twitter.
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Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
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Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
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12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
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Birmingham Sunday Mercury
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Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
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Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
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Cyberbloke, Twitter
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Liam Travitt, Twitter
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Sidsings000, Youtube
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Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
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Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
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Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
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Fowkes81, Twitter
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Tres Ryan, Twitter
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Borathigh5, Youtube
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Iain, eatenbymissionaries
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Bosco239, youtube
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Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
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Jamespearse, Twitter