But this does not work where the brackets contain only text.

Works for me:

#!/usr/bin/env perl 
use strict;
use warnings;

use Test::More;

my %foo = (
    'a(b)c' => 'ac',
    'ab()cd' => 'abcd'
);
my $snr = qr/\(.*?\)/;

for my $have (keys %foo) {
    my $want = $foo{$have};
    $have =~ s/$snr//sg;
    is ($have, $want);
}
done_testing ();
[download]

"It doesn't work" is as useful to a developer as "I'm ill" is to a medic. Try to be more specific.

++ for the accurate analogy. If I could cast another vote for the content of your post I would :)

---

With the rise and rise of 'Social' network sites: 'Computers are making people easier to use everyday'

Examine what is said, not who speaks -- Silence betokens consent -- Love the truth but pardon error.

"Science is about questioning the status quo. Questioning authority". I knew I was on the right track :)

In the absence of evidence, opinion is indistinguishable from prejudice.

Maybe you're referring to nested parenthetics, which your regex indeed doesn't handle properly.

c:\@Work\Perl\monks>perl -wMstrict -le
"my $desc = 'leave (only text) this () too -- does not (v(w(x)y)z) wor
+k';
 $desc =~ s/\(.*?\)//gs;
 print qq{'$desc'};
"
'leave  this  too -- does not y)z) work'
[download]

Update: If you're concerned about nested parens, maybe see Regexp::Common::balanced (used as below):

c:\@Work\Perl\monks>perl -wMstrict -le
"use Regexp::Common qw(balanced);
 ;;
 my $desc = 'a (text) b () c (v(w(x)y)z) d ((())) e (unbalanced(balanc
+ed) f';
 $desc =~ s{ $RE{balanced}{-parens => '()'} }{}xmsg;
 print qq{'$desc'};
"
'a  b  c  d  e (unbalanced f'
[download]

use strict;
use warnings;

my $string = 'this is (testing 123(test%^*&()()
fghfgh(in)))*&^@#%$))))((   (((
(g) 123)a test';

$string =~ s/\(.*\)//gs;
print $string;
[download]

Like this? $desc =~ s/(\(([^()]|(?R))*\))//g;