He might need the time off to calm down. From the outset he was in typically intolerant mode, warning that if he saw any phones turned on they will be smashed “and you can take it up with the police”. He did not carry out his threat but he did briefly wade into the stalls to give someone a mean stare.
This is a show packed with magnificent jokes at the expense of Brexit, Trump, the sex in Game Of Thrones (“Peter Stringfellow’s Lord Of The Rings”) and much more. There is also some self-indulgent guff where he dissects his ongoing routines, though it is very entertaining self-indulgent guff.
He generated considerable mileage out of mocking his membership of the metropolitan liberal elite, N16 branch, too. But as the monologue moved into the second half a deeper theme developed as he yearned for a simpler, less narcissistic, pre-instant gratification age. In his grandparents’ day, he noted, people had to walk miles to find bondage outfits, now they can just click on Amazon.
There is nothing new about creating an exaggerated version of oneself for humorous effect, yet the road-hardened veteran has made this style his own. Every idea is pushed to the limit, from his impression of under-forties on their smartphones, bashing the screens like apes, to adopting an absurd bow-legged stance to satirise fellow stand-up Russell Howard. The result is both intellectually ambitious and clownishly jocular. The comedy world will be a less funny place without this performer at the top of his game.
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, 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
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter