“No one is equipped to review me,” said Stewart Lee towards the end of a comedy masterclass that pushed the audience at a packed Royal Concert Hall to the limit.
He was joking, obviously. Well, I think he was. And that sums up the tightrope he walked throughout his lengthy show (he came on just after 8 and there was a 20-minute interval but it was still after 10.35pm when he leapt off the stage and ran up the aisle to sign autographs). Even to describe the material betrays it. What sounds snide written down was often joyous in the room.
He was at his most devastating in the first half, brilliantly taking on the frequent “anti-PC” question: “Why don’t any of you lefty comedians make fun of Muslims?” This was thrillingly intelligent stuff, with Lee forensically lampooning “observational” stand-up, telling wannabe “Islamophobic” jokes in the voice of Roy “Chubby” Brown and launching into an inspired, hysterically ill-informed, rant against Quakers.
He jokily divided the audience into the brighter “hardcore fans” who had bought stalls tickets and the rest of us – “chaff”, only there because he’d been on telly. This led to a spiralling riff on the pressures facing comedians and the fact that so many comics have taken their own lives. This was frequently uncomfortable but never less than hilarious. “It’s audiences like you that essentially murdered Robin Williams,” he said, justifiably bringing down the house. You had to be there.
The second half, about the lunacies of nationalism and home life, was more relaxed and rambling – exactly right after the peaks of part one. Lee, one of the best live comedians I’ve ever seen, is using this tour to develop material for a new series of his BBC Comedy Vehicle shows. On this evidence, it’s going to be unmissable.
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.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
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian