Regarded by many as a trailblazer at the top of the UK’s comedy ravine, with ‘Content Provider’ Stewart Lee has surpassed even his own superlative standards and delivers what must be his most crafted and by far funniest and best show to date. With masterful structure and the perfect balance of self-effacement and aggression, conscience-pricking and lunacy this show ticks every conceivable box for any comedy fan,- including value for money with over two hours of material at a very moderately priced ticket.
Blending familiar elements such as educating sections of the audience when they don’t laugh and deconstructing a joke or two out of ironic sympathy with the strugglers he manages to add in a new pace to his delivery, perhaps choosing to dispense with the long uncomfortable pauses in which he has previously delighted on previous shows both live and on television. His use of popular, cultural and historical references is so smooth he creates the air of a man with the room, and possibly the world, in the palm of his hand. Yet perhaps unlike Stephen Fry who could make any statement seem believable we are acutely aware that Lee may well have fabricated every single strand of his research simply for comic effect.
This show brings a certain visual structure not really used by him before, not just with his basic set but also with some sections being germane to his narrative, in particular the ending which is a quite stunning piece of art and artistic comment. Also more developed this time round is his fearless name-ckecking of other comedians of whom he disapproves. This apparent arrogance is only surface-deep though, as with the entire construction of his set, his material is very critical of many aspects of his and our lives but this observational element to his work is not in itself the joke, as is the case with so many other comics, several of whom he derides. No, Lee selects his subject and criticizes it both truthfully and satirically at the same time, then just when it seems he is being serious he throws in some childishness or foolery, just when he appears to have finished with one idea he delves back into it from a completely different angle. It is this constant but barely detectable change of direction that keeps the laughter and interest going.
Comedians at the top of their game are able to deliver a real rollercoaster ride of comedy and this certainly qualifies without question. What makes Stewart Lee different (and different in a way that is most definitely better) is that somehow, long ago, he alone figured out how to actually drive the rollercoaster and has been perfecting the skill throughout his entire career while the rest of us assume the usual rails and control switches set all the rules and boundaries. But if there are no rules, who decides what is allowed? Who gets to choose what is funny and what isn’t, and by what standards we should judge everything? He has the answer for that, too, and when you hear it you may well disagree, but you will definitely laugh. And that’s kind of the point.
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter