STEWART Lee likes to give his audiences a hard time. From the people in the balcony – always more stupid and less committed than those in the stalls – to anyone who laughs at the wrong bit, verbally slapping his paying public about a bit is a regular ice-breaker in his shows.
But tonight he’s really got it in for the Colston Hall audience. The bloke who tried to take a picture on his mobile phone didn’t help things, and as for the woman who tried to nip out five minutes before the interval from her seat in the front row – yes, the front row – well, you can hardly say she didn’t deserve a bollocking she’ll never forget in front of a packed house.
But, to take a mid-set reference to Fifty Shades of Grey completely out of context, we’re masochists in this audience and we really love it when he treats us like dirt. For, as Lee later points out for the hard of understanding, it’s all for a laugh – it’s an established part of the act.
Even when the audience hasn’t done anything, what Lee imagines we are thinking can spur him on to more vitriol, as evidenced during a section on Islamophobia where he flies off the handle again.
At the same time, everyone knows that behind each laugh there’s a message. Whether it’s the toilet troubles of a cat named after a UKIP politician or the demise of the Downton Abbey dog, everything is carefully crafted to make a point about people and our prejudices
Casting himself as an outsider, standing apart from the observational comedians on arena tours and panel show regulars (Mock The Week takes a kicking, not for the first time), Lee is nonetheless on an upward trajectory which shows no sign of stopping.
His last series of Stewart Lee’s Comedy Vehicle for the BBC has a Bafta nomination. During these two sold-out Colston Hall dates he’s working through some half-hour segments which should eventually form episodes of the next series.
Among others in the firing line tonight are Jim Davidson, Katie Hopkins, Roy Chubby Brown and liberal columnist Yasmin Alibhai-Brown.
That’s not to say Lee stints on using his own failings and embarrassments of course. (Real or made up? It doesn’t matter, we’re laughing.)
But it’s the surreal twists the set can take, where Lee’s timing, sense of the absurd and use of repetition combine, which leave me convulsing with laughter.
Sometimes, at several points in the first half of the show, it seems as if everything is going wrong and the set is on the verge of falling apart. But we know better than that – he’s in control, and the audience can’t get enough of it.
5/5
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, 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
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com