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 His use of popular, cultural and historical references is so smooth he creates the air of a man with the room, and possibly the world, in the palm of his hand.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.
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, 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
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk