Here at WOS Manchester, we rarely get the chance to review comedy but Stewart Lee has the perfect theatrical connection – he co-wrote the ground breaking Jerry Springer – The Opera.
But what of his comedy act? Surely once you have seen one stand up comedian honing their material so that it relates to the audience, you have seen them all. Cue- funny stories rolling off the tongue followed by a spot of batting hecklers back and forth and you have the ingredients for a comedy night out.
But Stew is not your archetypal comedian, as his material bravely confounds all of your expectations. The format for his shows should not work but due to the skill and intelligence of the delivery, it works wonderfully. How many other comedians could repeat the same joke/story from a different angle and make you laugh through your hands?
Lee’s stories are, at times funny and yet quite sardoic, as he recalls his mother’s love of an old Tom O’Connor joke over his own material. We also hear how the BBC pulled the plug on a TV show he was comissioned to write. Their loss and our gain, as this intelligent genre-busting comedian is refreshingly different.
The Evening Standard have described him as a “squashed Albert Finney” which might be due to his disdain of middle England’s poster boy – Daily Mail collumnist Richard Littlejohn.
I particularly loved his take on Carphone Warehouse’s reaction to the Big Brother racism row. But the great thing about this show is the way Stewart seamlessly leaps from one unrelated topic to another. For example March Of The Mallards as opposed to the penguins because these ducks are dirtier and would not have received a U certificate if they were the subject of a documentary!
The audience on the night I went laughed hysterically, as did I. This clever comedian delivers his lines with pauses allowing the audience to guess the punchline. The respect that he gives his fans is reciprocated, as at the Lowry they cheered him to the rafters.
An excellent night out!
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk