Breaking the deal in comedy stakes

Reginald D Hunter didn't plan to be a comedian, writes Andy Richardson.

He intended to work as an actor.

The star of TV shows like Have I Got News For You trained at RADA but, following an unfortunate 'accident' in a pantomime, he decided to make the switch. Hunter had been appearing as Long John Silver and, as the curtain descended, was unable to contain himself. He had the sort of accident that primary school boys have when they've drunk too much pop and are embarrassed to ask for the toilet.

"What is it British culture that people just want you to embarrass yourself?" he says. "I had to pee real bad and I held it throughout the show. Then we got to the end where we had to take the final curtain call and I couldn't contain myself. You happy now, man, you happy?"

Hunter will be bringing his uniquely sharp stand-up routine to Oakengates Theatre @ The Place on Tuesday. It'll be the third date of a mammoth tour that runs into July.

"I think this year's show will be somewhat more topical. It will be reacting more to stuff that I'm seeing. In the past, I've tended to examine other aspects of human interaction. The general election will be going on, that will be real juice for every comic. Hell, during that time comics in retirement may come back."

In recent years, Reginald D Hunter has become one of the funniest men on TV. His regular appearances on Have I Got News..., QI, Live At The Apollo and Eight Out Of Ten Cats have provided moments of comedy gold. However, the live arena is where he's happiest.

"Live is more fun to me. It's also less nerve-wracking. With live work, if something screws up, I know where to start looking. I know who the first suspect is.

"In television it's much more of a team thing. Being in Have I Got News is like playing with other good athletes. There are certain times where I've literally seen Paul Merton carry the show for 10/15 minutes."

Fans who've seen Reginald will recognise that no two nights are ever the same.

"I consider myself.... it's sort of like a being a musician, you know what the notes are and you sort of like to play around them. If you only do the jokes that you know, you are only using a small part of the brain. You have to use that part of the brain that can create in the moment, that's jazz.

"There are some people who think they have to be all of themselves in stand up, that's not true, your funny self is good, your interesting self is great. I like breaking the deal, so to speak.

"The deal is that somebody pays and goes to see a comedy show and you make people laugh. You make them laugh with stuff they already agree with. I like to break that deal."

l Tickets for Reginald D Hunter at Oakengates Theatre on May 4 are available at www.oakengates.ws. He returns to Shropshire to play Theatre Severn on June 29 and tickets are available at www.theatresevern.co.uk