English comedian Russell Howard brings Respite to Palmerston North

In his show The Russell Howard Hour, the English comedian gives his take on current affairs.

English comedian Russell Howard brings his stand-up show Respite to Palmerston North on Thursday.

He spoke to the Guardian from Dunedin, where he was doing two shows in one night after the first sold out. For a stand-up comedian, we ended up talking about chairs a fair bit.

Howard has been to New Zealand before, but this will be his first visit to Palmerston North. He knows the city is referred to as Palmy but that's about it.

He says he normally does shows in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch but people wanted more shows, so he is doing more.

He is also filming a travel show for British, and hopefully New Zealand, TV about the country so he is trying to see as much of it as possible.

Filming has included fishing with Clarke Gayford and visiting Sam Neill's Central Otago winery.

Howard says he wants the TV show to go beyond the surface and not just cover cliches like fush and chups. He wants to explore what makes the country tick.

He says it's so exciting to be performing to people rather than just chairs. He did a stand-up show for British TV and performed to chairs, which he says was tough.

People make stand-up a lot easier and it's so much fun seeing people in a room, he says.

Howard is best known for his TV shows Russell Howard's Good News and The Russell Howard Hour.

A former colleague of this journalist wanted to know where Howard got the newspaper-themed chairs that appeared in Good News.

He says a costume designer came up with the idea and the papier mache chairs were really comfortable – they fitted with a comedy show about the news.

A Palmy reader had a left-field question for the 40-year-old. Would he rather fight a shark that can fly or a T. rex with short legs. Howard says he'd go for the tiny T. rex as he'd fancy his range and could shoot the dinosaur in the face with a bazooka.

The question about the newspaper chairs followed by the T. rex prompted Howard to say our chat was without doubt the most varied interview in his life.

He says New Zealand has a thriving comedy scene, "but can they fight a T. rex!".

New Zealanders have innovative, gentle, distinctive, dry, elegant comedy with comedians who have the ingenuity to pick up small details like Jerry Seinfeld finding humour in the backs of cereals boxes.

His advice to aspiring comedians is to "just do it". The comedy scene in the UK is obviously hard at the moment with everything online but in New Zealand there has never been a better time.

Think about what makes your friends laugh and try an open mic night. "After about 100 gigs you will know whether you are getting better."

It's like playing football as a kid, Howard says – you will know if you have got the bug.

Asked why people should go to Respite, Howard replied: "I'd like them to come because it's always better when there are people there."

Respite is a blend of his 2019 UK show of the same name and New Zealand material.

"If you fancy a night out full of people and laughing together in a crowd, then I've got something for you."

+ Respite is on Thursday, February 11, at the Regent on Broadway.