In drainpipe jeans and common-sense shirt, Stewart Lee runs up the aisle to the stage and draws a chalk circle around the microphone.
This, he explains, is what medieval clowns used to do outside churches in order to protect themselves from being persecuted for heresy.
He is going to need it.
In the past year, Lee has been the subject of death threats, blasphemy prosecutions and an endoscopy, following the explosion of outrage that met the showing of Jerry Springer: The Opera on television. And yet his response is now to blaspheme further and fiercer than ever before, delivered with his usual deadpan seriousness. One phrase in particular, about one of the Lord’s orifices, will be repeated for days by everyone who heard it.
While the room laughed about as much as is possible, it is Lee’s subtlety and intelligence that make his act exceptional. He does very little – no silly voices, no props, no gurning, no sound effects.
But he is so sure of his grip on the crowd, which at times was close to hypnotic, that he can stop halfway through a joke to await the doubled wave of laughter that will come when the audience work out the punchline for themselves.
This technique doesn’t always work, he explains, as 200-odd people dab the tears from their eyes. In western Australia, he found that everybody waited politely for him to finish the joke. “But there, they don’t go to stand-up comedy to have a laugh. It’s more a way of getting access to news.”
A perfect hour.
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
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Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
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Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
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Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
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Lents, redandwhitekop.com
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Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
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Cyberbloke, Twitter
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Peter Fears, Twitter
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Gabrielle, Chortle.com
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Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
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Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
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Robert Gavin, Twitter
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Carcrazychica, Youtube
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Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
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Idrie, Youtube
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Peter Ould, Twitter
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Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
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Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
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Anamatronix, Youtube
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Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
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Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
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Etienne, Chortle.com
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NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
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Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
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Horatio Melvin, Twitter
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Slothy Matt, Twitter
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Richard Herring, Comedian
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
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Zombie Hamster, Twitter
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Hiewy, Youtube
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Len Firewood, Twitter
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Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
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Microcuts 22, Twitter
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Guest1001, Youtube
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James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
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Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
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Clampdown59, Twitter.
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GRTak, finalgear.com
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Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
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Birmingham Sunday Mercury
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Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
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Joe, Independent.co.uk
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Emilyistrendy, Youtube
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Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
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World Without End, Twitter
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Aaron, comedy.co.uk
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Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
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Al Murray, Comedian
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12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
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Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
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Pnethor, pne-online.com
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Jackmumf, Twitter
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Joycey, readytogo.net
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Funday’schild, youtube.
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Chez, Chortle.com
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Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
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Mpf1947, Youtube
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Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
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Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
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Meninblack, Twitter
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Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
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Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
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Aiden Hearn, Twitter
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Mrdavisn01, Twitter
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Mearecate, Youtube
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Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
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Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
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Wharto15, Twitter
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Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
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Borathigh5, Youtube
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Kozzy06, Youtube
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Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
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Leach Juice, Twitter
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FBC, finalgear.com
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Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
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Shit Crit, Twitter
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Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
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General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
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Anon, BBC Complaints Log
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Sidsings000, Youtube
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Fairy Pingu, Twitter
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Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
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DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
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Fowkes81, Twitter
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Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
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Dick Socrates, Twitter
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Sam Rooney, Youtube
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Stokeylitfest, Twitter
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Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
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Peter Ould, Youtube
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Gwaites, Digitalspy
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98rosjon, Twitter
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Liam Travitt, Twitter
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Danazawa, Youtube
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Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
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Visualiser1, Twitter
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Secretdeveloper, Youtube
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Contrapuntal, Twitter
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Keilloh, Twitter
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Iain, eatenbymissionaries
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Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
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Tin Frog, Twitter
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Bosco239, youtube
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Jamespearse, Twitter
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Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
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Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
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Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
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Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
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Z-factor, Twitter.
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Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
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Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
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Tres Ryan, Twitter