THERE are some comedians who don't need to do a lot to make the public laugh.

Peter Kay just recalls his childhood while Stephen Merchant only needs to exaggerate his Bristol burr to get a favourable reaction.

Paul Foot, who performed at The Courtyard in Hereford tonight, has to put in a bit more effort but he doesn't actually have to tell a joke to get everyone on his side.

His hyper act sees him rant and rave about impatient bed and breakfast landladies, the "murderer" of his cauliflower baby and a Hindu chancer "who he made up".

Barely any of the anecdotes have punchlines, credible story lines or much structure, but it matters not.

His energy and oddity, similar to that of a young Rik Mayall, carry him through and ensure the audience is laughing throughout the set - no matter how confused they may appear by stories of suburban S+M parties ruined by the appearance of bourbon creams.

At times the comedy is simple, such as the times he mounts one young man in the front row.

Foot, know by many for his appearances on Never Mind the Buzzcocks, keeps the "mounting" act going by spontaneously interacting with the crowd while his poor victim sits under the ranting comic.

One of the final jokes of the night centred on the reggae cleaner who had hoovered up his own legs.

"Now I can see the audience was split there between those that did laugh and those that didn't," Foot tells the crowd as he reviews his own performance.

"Those that didn't enjoy the joke were obviously looking for some hidden meaning when there was none and those of us that did like it have no idea why."

And that, really, was the story of the night.