There’s a reason why Stewart Lee is seen as the comedian’s comedian.
There’s a reason why he’s been on the receiving end of a whole bunch of awards.
And there’s also a reason why he’s never going to be as well-known as the Lee Macks or the Michael McIntyres of this world.
Stewart Lee is one of the most uncompromising comedians out there. He revels in being inaccessible to the masses which is much to his credit. His comedy is intelligent and deep and once you get the joke the rewards are endless.
On this Saturday night in Salisbury it was at once clear that he’s a master comedian. Conducting the audience like a pro. There were points in the night where the laughter was uncontrollable. There were other points where it came in bursts and there were others where the build up to a joke and its punchline would be deliberately anti-climactic.
This was all part of what was one of the cleverest and well-thought out routines I had ever seen. His material about not having any material showed us a comedian at the top of his game. Non-subjects he covered included ‘jungle rope bridges’, ‘Osama Bin Laden’, ‘Twitter trolls’ and shops with ‘world’ in the title to name but a few and with each new subject he would constantly surprise us jumping effortlessly from one role to the next.
Stewart Lee has a huge talent and was able to change the tone of the night in an instant. It was all expertly done.
He was also very good up at sending up ‘stand-up’ itself, hilariously over-explaining the jokes and ranting deliciously at the audience. It really was a tour de force and showed why he is praised throughout the industry.
This was the first time that he had performed in Salisbury since 2005. Let’s hope he doesn’t leave it so long next time.
Lovely uncompromising stuff. A true original.
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.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
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter