To be a Stewart Lee fan is to accept that banal jokes about marriage/family life/ other aspects of the everyday are simply not going to happen. Instead, viewers are mentally transported to a comedic plain in which there is no secure footing, where apparently familiar subjects are turned on their heads and even the audience’s appreciation of the performance comes under close scrutiny.
I’m a big fan of Lee’s brand of metatextual humour, so I was very keen to catch his latest show (the tour’s second visit to Northampton) at the Royal & Derngate.
A trait in Lee’s work is to make audience members a source of mockery, deriding their ability to process his layered and clever jokes. Theatre-goers really came under the verbal hammer yesterday (THURSDAY) evening as Lee delivered his material, repeatedly stopping to condescendingly explain his statements to the watching crowd.
This doesn’t sound like the recipe for a fun night out but the result is hilarious as, despite the torrent of deliberately exaggerated abuse faced by the audience, there is also a sense that Stewart’s increasing frustration with himself and the world around him is the actual butt of the joke. He even, at one point, states that he is coming to despise the character of Stewart Lee.
As ever, Lee’s performance was entertaining from start to finish. Without giving away too much about the content, his eclectic array of subjects ranged from brexit and Trump to Caspar David Friedrich’s painting Wanderer Above a Sea of Fog, and the culture of selfies and digital consumerism.
The comedy is enjoyable but always a little uncomfortable because, mocking though it may be, there is always a truth at its heart which makes viewers keep thinking and analysing what they have seen – long after the show has finished.
Visit www.stewartlee.co.uk for further performances.
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube