A couple of years ago, Frankie Boyle said comics should quit before they are 40, by which time they are creatively spent.
His comments infuriated the then 42-year-old Stewart Lee, a chagrin exaggerated for his last tour and DVD, If You Prefer A Milder Comedian, Please Ask For One. Two years later, and Lee admits his life now involves nothing more than childcare of his four-year-old son and driving Britain’s motorways from gig to gig… however could such a quotidian life inspire comedy, if there really is no more sombre enemy of good art than the pram in the hall?
That’s how a weary Lee explained his predicament, but as he patiently explains to the irony-impaired new recruits to his work, quite often he doesn’t mean what he says, but the very opposite. Imagine that!
In fact some of his fans might be a little surprised by some of this show, too – especially the opening routine which is an strong piece of political-flavoured stand-up, about the nonsense of Big Society or the moral response to the assassination of Osama Bin Laden, all in a traditional style. It seems to be an effort to prove that he can do stand-up – despite what his detractors might say – without the long pauses, endless deviation and meta-anaylsis.
That’s not to say he doesn’t return to those trademark techniques later, most notably with a deliberately laboured section about the impact of Thatcherite economic policies on jungle canyon rope bridges – his only frame of reference now he endlessly watches his son’s favourite Scooby-Doo cartoon.
But there’s a lot going on in this show, and especially inventive – and enjoyable – is Lee’s splitting Sheffield’s Lyceum Theatre into a mixed-ability group, more effectively than he’s ever done before. In the stalls, the fans who’ve stuck by him in the lean years, brought their tickets early, and ‘get’ the jokes; in the circle the newbies, attracted because they vaguely know Lee is on TV now, and not up to speed on how this all works. This device is made even more effective through thoughtful camera direction that gives us both points of view.
In other sections, the insidious intrusion of Twitter into privacy, and, of course, the nature of comedy itself come under the microscope. On the later, he has an unarguable riposte for those on the right who claim no one ever does jokes about Islam – delivered with a conspiratorial air of sideways glances worthy of Max Miller. Or Jimmy Cricket.
But the main idea explored here is the comedian’s desperate search for material and relevance, which allows Lee to reassert his esteemed reputation at the top of the comedy food chain. He is witheringly dismissive of those he feels are intellectually lazy, and this time around it includes himself, in a sublimely self-deprecating, and uniquely funny couple of hours.
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com