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