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Like most new parents, Richard Herring enjoys talking about his
offspring. Admittedly, most mums and dads won’t start discussing their
fears of accidentally throwing their child over a fifth floor balcony at
the nursery gates, but it’s this kind of uncomfortable insight that
proves parenthood has done little to smooth Herring’s edge.
In
fact, becoming a dad for the first time has given the Yorkshire born
comedian an ever heightened sense of self awareness. With his very own
bundle of joy, he finds himself questioning the very meaning of
happiness, a funny but philosophical debate at the heart of his latest
tour, Happy Now?
After all, if anything could numb his cynical,
over-analytical side it’s surely the arrival of baby Phoebe? And if it
does, what does this mean for his comedy career?
Thankfully,
Herring remains as thought-provoking and raw as ever, only now his
subject matter revolves around fidelity debates with his wife and how he
makes his daughter laugh (cue justification for getting busy with
robots and a brutal dissection of popular nursery rhymes).
He
does occasionally drift into softer material which is somewhat at odds
with his edgier jokes. But to his credit, Herring is quick to admit that
spending hours attempting to amuse a one year old is likely to have at
least a slight effect on his comedic stylings.
As we delve deeper
into Herring’s complex views on happiness, we’re offered some
refreshingly honest insights into keeping content. It’s a double edged
sword, he muses. If you’re happy, you’re worrying what will come along
to spoil it and at least if you’re unhappy, the only way is up, right?
And don’t we need to experience the lows in order to recognise the
highs?
The combination of honest comedy and armchair philosophy
works well, giving the audience enough laughs for an enjoyable evening
as well as food for thought on the way we approach our own pursuit of
happiness.
As Herring insists, it’s not always where you think
you’ll find it. But it’s probably that time you ate a chocolate Cornetto
when you were three…
