The axing of his Comedy Vehicle TV series might rankle with Stewart Lee – particularly when the BBC can find the money to remake Are You Being Served – but has probably been a blessing in disguise for the country’s most original comedian.
He might have been forced to develop new avenues to rustle up a few quid – he claims to buys his own DVDs online to sell at shows at a mark-up – but his live act has been freed of the shackles of building 30-minute routines for the telly, and is more rewarding as a result.
The passive-aggressive lecturer persona and deadpan delivery of his apparent alter ego remain intact, but the cleverly-constructed show – which as usual Lee deconstructed at regular intervals, supposedly for the benefit of slower audience members – enabled him to develop a theme, run with it, stumble with it, explain it, discard it and brilliantly return to it over the course of a hugely entertaining two hours.
The theme was man’s place in a world of superficial digital consumerism, and pitched Lee as a hero attempting to rise above the chaos like the ‘Wanderer Above The Sea Of Fog’ in Caspar David Friedrich’s famous painting. Russell Howard this most definitely was not.
Howard was one of many comics trampled on, verbally and literally – in the form of DVDs strewn across the stage – during the show, which also saw Lee stomping on everything from Trump, Brexit, Boris and Farage to Game of Thrones (“Peter Stringfellow’s Lord of the Rings”), the under-40s and even Deacon Blue as he desperately searched for something of depth in a world dominated by the banality of social media and instant gratification.
It was never going to happen of course – the Content Provider of the show’s title admitting we were witnessing little more than “the ongoing interrogation of a divided soul” – but his self-anointed “metropolitan liberal elite” audience were more than happy to be along for the grilling (in every sense), which was as smart as it was hilarious.
Reviewed by Steve Adams at Warwick Arts Centre
4 Stars on Thu, 04 May 2017
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus