Reginald D Hunter, Gatehouse Theatre, Stafford - review

The packed audience at Stafford's Gatehouse Theatre waited with baited breath for the comedians return, and we're greeted by warm-up act Glenn Wool.

From wince-inducing stories about relations with swans to tales of how he loves his girlfriend, Wool delightfully shocked the audience with his foul language and risqué subjects.

Though quiet at first, the audience soon roared with the mention of their beloved area... though not so much to some.

"Come to Uttoxeter!" One woman bellowed, after booing the people of Staffordshire for cheering their area.

Building a rapport with the crowd, Wool's set became quite an interactive one and left the crowd rightly warmed for the main man himself.

It wouldn't be a Reginald D Hunter set without the risk of being thoroughly shocked - and he started his set with a quick tongue-in-cheek PSA regarding the content of his shows. You will hear bad language, you will be shocked - and he doesn't care if you're offended.

Reginald has spent over twenty years in comedy, and has lived in England for twenty years - so naturally, our mannerisms have served quite a few humorous stories to serve his career.

The audience were beside themselves with tales of how the English can tell their feelings of disgust without using words, and how it's bizarre that we pay for a television licence.

From light and bouncy to serious and political in a second - Reginald deals with the harsh topics of politics, marginalisation and racism with shocking results, though with a voice as soft and smooth as his it's easy to be lulled into a false sense of security.

Fiercely intelligent and effortlessly articulate, Reginald crafts these jokes into hilarious tales rather than quick, shocking jokes that float over your head.

Stories of his family made the audience feel as if they were in the deep south being schooled by his father too, and tales of him taking on internet racists had us taking to Twitter alongside him also.

Despite have a two-and-a-half year break from touring, ending on the last shocking joke he told that landed him in hot water, Reginald cemented his return in glorious form.

With aching sides still as I write this - I can't wait to hear what Reginald D Hunter finds wrong with the world next.