Richard Herring's Hitler Moustache

The premise of this show is that Hitler has ruined the toothbrush moustache for everyone and it should be reclaimed for comedy purposes as it was previously, resting upon Charlie Chaplin’s upper lip. To illustrate this point Richard Herring has done what most men only do when shaving in the bathroom and that is to grow said moustache and wear it for the duration of the tour. This is admirable as it not only makes him look ridiculous but also gives his cuddly features a sinister edge which often seeps into this confrontational routine.

This particular routine was filmed in Cardiff on the last night of his tour and it seems he chose his least receptive audience to be part of his latest DVD which is a bit odd. Surely you would choose a place where you went down well previously, perhaps his last visit to Wales was more fruitful but most of the audience look a little bored and some members stare at him stony-faced as though he is actually the Fuhrer. His ribbing of these silent hecklers also falls flat and brings an uncomfortable end to the first part of the show which is largely very funny.

In the second half he continues with his aggressive approach which suits him less than the genial figure of fun many expect from his old partnership with Stewart Lee, his previous more light-hearted live performances and his current radio show with Andrew Collins. One of Herrings strong points is his willing silliness and his ability to be both puerile and warmly intelligent but this time he comes across as a bit moody. The material is good when he is discussing how he expects people to react to his new facial hair and how some racist views can be construed as more liberal to humanity than non racist ones but it soon turns to lecturing.

One of the flaws of the show is that apparently no-one really reacted to his moustache so there are no amusing anecdotes on that front. It is a clever touch that a comedian who looks a bit like Hitler starts berating the crowd for not voting in the European elections and letting the BNP grab seats but he does not possess the art of repetitive comedy like Lee and calling non-voters lazy bastards gets a bit boring after a while. His arguments are spot on but it seems strange to really blame the crowd, a Welsh one particularly, for the rise of British nationalism that just came out to laugh and not be judged for possible voter apathy.

It is wholly positive that he tries to skewer the ideology of fascism but he is unable to reclaim the ‘tache as he is not funny enough. This is a subject rich with comic possibilities but Herring seems intent on pushing his own political agenda while forgetting to lubricate it with humour. Countless comparisons to Stewart Lee are both obvious and unfair but what the deadpan Lee lacks in personality is hugely made up for with his on the money material. Unfortunately Herring is the opposite, his personality should make these difficult subjects easier to digest but instead his shouty approach drowned out some of the laughs. More comedy can be found on the DVD extras though and they are very amusing and worth a watch.