Richard Herring's Leicester Square Theatre Podcast (RHLSTP)

RHLSTP Book Club #161 - Seriously Silly - The Life of Terry Jones - Richard chats to renowned comedy historian Robert Ross about his fabulous new biography of actor, writer, director and Python, Terry Jones. The topics includes what it’s like to befriend a Python and how that friendship affects the writing of a biography, how comedy history can be a map for future comedians, how Jones’ influence in the sketch group is perhaps underestimated, how the Python members could never have imagined that the sketch show they were embarking on would bind them for the rest of their lives, what a fine movie director he was, how he helped Rich get an A in his A level English, how his dementia affected his later years and how the new naked statue of Terry will be viewed by the people of the future.

Buy the book here https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/seriously-silly-the-life-of-terry-jones-the-authorised-biography-robert-ross/4553b8f600a0191a

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RHLSTP #589 - Dopplegängr - It’s Richard’s last show of the 2025 Edinburgh Fringe, but what is the Edinburgh Fringe? Luckily Liam Gallagher knows. Richard’s guest is not in Oasis and is unlikely to support them after this, it’s the loquacious (thank goodness for Rich) Nish Kumar. They chat about at what point you have to stop claiming to be working class, how Nish survived his tour of America unscathed and the positives he took from the experience, why both sides-ism is an unhelpful concept, how even Nish’s grandma thinks he might be Jason Mantzoukas, why Taskmaster is didn’t too badly when it comes to diversity, but how being in a comedy gang can be a big help in maintaining the necessary quality for a career and has Nish been in a canoe? This is the only podcast where you will find out. Thanks so much to the magnificent staff at the Stand in Edinburgh and the brilliant audiences that made this Fringe an absolute pleasure. Same time again next year?

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#415 Mosquito in the Kitchen - Richard recalls a couple of childhood memories that can’t possibly hare happened. His guest is the king of mischief and righteous anger (who is also very funny) Joe Lycett. They talk about how Joe brought down a Prime Minister, how he was almost arrested for a joke, how his spoof Sue Gray report fooled some members of parliament, how people decided what snacks Santa would be getting, the personal heartbreak behind Joe’s anger about the government’s reaction to Covid, why he literally talked sh*t and the extreme steps Joe is taking to try and persuade David Beckham to withdraw from his role in Qatar. This is an exceptional show which is why we are putting it out as soon as possible.

Buy Joe’s extraordinarily funny and beautiful special “More More More” here https://watch.joelycett.com/

Buy Richard’s new book here. http://gofasterstripe.com/ball

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RHLSTP Book Club #160 - Love Triangle - It’s another face to face Book Club at the Podcast Room with mathematician and gigantic nerd Matt Parker talking about his exciting book about triangles. Find out how a triangle solved a pig murder, what it’s like to very briefly be the most recently published maths author and to see the work of the earliest known maths author first hand, how triangles can tell us the size of the planet or how far away a space probe is, whether bees know they are making hexagons, how Rich’s dad used one of the world’s first computers (though wasn’t aware of sex workers), how to cut a sandwich into three equal bits and what comedy and mathematics have in common. Plus how Rich might have been a mathematician himself, but now doesn’t even know calculus is for.

Buy the book here https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/love-triangle-the-life-changing-magic-of-trigonometry-matt-parker/1798f7df08f9ff54

See Matt on tour https://standupmaths.com/shows/

See RHLSTP live http://richardherring.com/rhlstp

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RHLSTP #588 - Edmund Hilary's Yeti Rucksack - Rich is upset about the things his wife is saying about him in her show, but never mind, he's being visited by the crew from the Cryptid Factor, Rhys Darby, Dan Schreiber and the mysterious Buttons. They chat about ghosts (a lot, given they've said they don't really talk about that), Rich trying to kill the Loch Ness Monster and what the Loch Ness Monster might actually be, whether an alien spacecraft is on the way to conquer Earth (you'll probably know one way or the other by the time this goes out and I for one welcome our alien overlords), the incredible rise of New Zealand comedians, which podcast is Dan's proper one, Button's hob-nobbing with Prime Ministers and rugby players, the improvised scenes in Flight of the Conchords and making out with Scully and why did Rich need to apologise to Rhys? - will there be time to find out?

Listen to the Cryptid Factor here (or wherever you get your podcasts) - https://open.spotify.com/show/6N8YaO6bqGr7RtCMovP4HL

See RHLSTP live - https://richardherring.com/gigs

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#413 Brian Conley’s C*ck - Richard is discombobulated after returning (briefly) to Shepherd’s Bush after five years away. His guest is the fantastic stand up Chris McCausland. They talk about what pushed him towards stand up and why he was reluctant initially to do too much about his blindness, nearly becoming a spy, that amazing BAFTA bit with Lee Mack, performing for Prince William, being on the Jubilee bus and and why Chris hates the name of his own tour. Plus how working hard on a panel show appearance can help your career. Who knew?

See Chris on tour https://chrismccausland.com/tour/

Buy Richard’s new book here. http://gofasterstripe.com/ball

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RHLSTP Book Club #159 - A Particularly Nasty Case - Richard talks to ex-doctor and best-selling author Adam Kay about his first novel, a brilliant comedy thriller, A Particularly Nasty Case. They chat about getting the fabulous Andy Serkis to do the audiobook (and why Adam was reluctant to do it himself), how Adam has lots of fans in the 8-12 year age group (including Rich’s daughter) but how this is definitely not a book for them, the delicate balance of writing a whodunnit where it’s possible, but not easy, to guess the who whodunnit, how Adam weaves in some serious issues into this very funny book, how welcome is having a gay protagonist where their sexuality is more or less by the by, the classism and other issues that still pervade the NHS, dealing with mental health and the importance of actually being funny in a funny book. The book is a lot of fun and also involves corpses bottoms and dominatrices and proper jokes.

Buy the book here - https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/a-particularly-nasty-case-the-fastest-selling-debut-thriller-of-2025-from-the-author-of-global-phenomenon-this-is-going-to-hurt-adam-kay/c7ec730812058e04

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RHLSTP #587 - That’s F***ing Bonkers - Richard is considering changing political allegiance if it can rescue his fading career, but he doesn’t have to worry today - it’s a sell-out crowd to see tiny keyboard wunderkind David O’Doherty. They discuss getting drunk on live TV with Dua Lipa, whether David needs therapy to unpack the different in sizes between his and his dad’s instruments, how David might be at the exact right level of fame and what that means about interactions with his fans, confounding Richard Wilson, David’s possible hidden superpower, why awards mean nothing if you’re won them, how David saved the careers of the Flight of the Conchords and how Nish Kumar’s diarrhoea proved that David’s podcast idea would be a hit . Plus a human mic stand and a brilliant song from this friendly genius of a comedian. Don’t miss this one.

Listen to David’s podcast What Did You Do Yesterday here https://open.spotify.com/show/62lFI5XAYb68cSOcOWnDI9 (or wherever you get your podcasts)

See RHLSTP live http://richardherring.com/rhlstp

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#412 Lemony Anus - Richard knows a little bit about what Prince George is going through at school and is very excited that his new book is out! His guest is stand up, writer, presenter and actor Sara Pascoe. They talk about the ups and downs of doing improvised sitcoms and films, how long lockdown toilet rolls kept people going, balancing work with parenting, how it’s more important that something gets made than it becomes a hit, the magic of being a snowman, whether general anaesthetic proves that the soul does not exist, accepting the ageing process and the terrible things that a parent will do to protect their child.

See Sarah on tour https://sarapascoe.co.uk/

Buy Richard’s book here http://gofasterstripe.com/ball

SUPPORT THE SHOW!

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RHLSTP Book Club #158 - Saltwash - Richard talks to award-winning author Andrew Michael Hurley about his latest book, Saltwash. Is it horror or literary fiction? is it important for people writing about dark subjects to have three names? What attracted Andrew to writing about dilapidated seaside resorts - and has he ever been to Weston-super-Mare? How does he make his novels so atmospheric? What’s it like getting a quote from Stephen King? Plus Andrew’s remarkable leap to success (after only ten years of work) and how a 300 book print run led to a hugely successful first novel, Richard reveals how little he knows about Gothic novels (or what they even are), how we are all haunted by the mistakes we've made in life and how the contemplation of our own mortality can drive so much of our lives. Does writing a creepy book mean you can’t escape the subject in your downtime? Lots of questions, but thankfully some answers too!

Buy the book here - https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/saltwash-the-chilling-new-novel-from-the-master-of-menace-andrew-michael-hurley/7895486

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See details of the RHLSTP LIVE DATES

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