I think I can state with a fair degree of certainty that audiences coming out of the theatre will from now on be identifying the man in Gaspar David Friedrich’s 1818 painting, The Wanderer Above a Sea of Fog, with Stewart Lee.
Lee, stand-up comedian and columnist, has won many British Comedy Awards for his television work. He has a cerebral, middle-class approach to comedy. He is a comedian for grown-ups who enjoy irony.
I first saw him at Bush Theatre in 2007 when it was a very small fringe theatre above a pub on Shepherd’s Bush Green. He told the story of Jesus’ betrayal from Judas’s point of view.
Audiences, who had seen and knew he was the author and co-director of Jerry Springer – The Opera, naturally expected him to be blasphemous and vulgar. But he was nothing of the sort. He was funny and theologically interesting. He had done his research.
I next saw Lee at the Leicester Square Theatre in 2011 in his award-winning Carpet Remnant World. His main target then, as it is now, is the audience whose IQ he constantly questions; and the more insulting he is, the louder the audience’s laughter.
“What’s your problem?” he roars when the reaction does not measure up to his expectation as he points out he is a professional five-star stand-up comedian and he knows what’s funny and we don’t.
Lee’s stand-up is very enjoyable.
The high spot is an extended nostalgic sequence in the second half when he relates the bondage his grandparents had practised. The amazing detail will be particularly useful for social historians and, of course, anybody studying bondage in rural England during World War 2.
Lee, following his run in London, will be going on an extensive tour of the UK in 2017 See www.stewartlee.co.uk for details of tour.
His forte is political satire and he has just published a book which is a collection of the witty essays he has written for The Observer: Stewart Lee Content Provider (Faber & Faber £14.99). A nice Christmas present for his fans.
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, 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
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter