Stewart Lee likes to paint himself as an outcast. So how does he cope when, even with his BBC2 series long gone, he has already sold out three months in this 400-seater with a long tour and five nights at the Royal Festival Hall to follow? When Alan Bennett is among his fans? When this newspaper (specifically me, sorry) labelled him the best comedian in the world after his stunning previous show, Content Provider?
Well, there’s always his looks and health issues to contrast with his career. “I’m deaf, I’m blind, I’m grey, I’m fat,” suggests the bulkier-than-before, 51-year-old Lee. And then there is the indignity of having Netflix put completely the wrong description on his work, while Ricky Gervais, Jimmy Carr et al plough on from smash hit to smash hit.
If the challenges of being both exalted and excluded sound like a neat cul-de-sac for Lee to wander down rather than the basis for a whole show, then you have the limitations of Tornado, the first of two supposedly separate hours of stand-up. Lee roasts his rivals with enjoyable spite. He retains his buoyant way with knotty ideas. Yet the self-obsession that was previously a fizzing footnote to his act is a flatter proposition when it lacks larger topics to interact with. And a closing Bennett parody is a tame target for a comedian of Lee’s extraordinary skill and ambition.
The second hour, Snowflake, has Lee mocking-cum-celebrating his status as a peddler of endangered liberal values. Political correctness? He’s for it, give or take. He gets stuck into artful ironies and pointed nonsense about Phoebe Waller-Bridge and James Bond and Noddy and computer games, and mocks comedians (Gervais again) who supposedly “say the unsayable”. The details are accomplished, but the evening lacks the polyphonic verve of Lee at his best.
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
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Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
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Secretdeveloper, Youtube
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Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
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Danazawa, Youtube
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Chez, Chortle.com
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Al Murray, Comedian
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Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
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Aaron, comedy.co.uk
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FBC, finalgear.com
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Mearecate, Youtube
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Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
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Tin Frog, Twitter
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GRTak, finalgear.com
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Robert Gavin, Twitter
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Foxfoxton, Youtube
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Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
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Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
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Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
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A D Ward, Twitter
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Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
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Microcuts 22, Twitter
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Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
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Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
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12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
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James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
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Funday’schild, youtube.
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Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
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Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
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Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
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Zombie Hamster, Twitter
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Bosco239, youtube
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Dick Socrates, Twitter
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Liam Travitt, Twitter
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Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
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Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
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Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
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Aiden Hearn, Twitter
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Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
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NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
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Richard Herring, Comedian
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Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
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Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
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Jackmumf, Twitter
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Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
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Tres Ryan, Twitter
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Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
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Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
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Anon, BBC Complaints Log
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Birmingham Sunday Mercury
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Borathigh5, Youtube
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BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
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Etienne, Chortle.com
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Sidsings000, Youtube
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General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
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Shit Crit, Twitter
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98rosjon, Twitter
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Rudeness, Youtube
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Peter Ould, Twitter
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Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
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Anon, westhamonline.com
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Gwaites, Digitalspy
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Peter Ould, Youtube
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Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
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Emilyistrendy, Youtube
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DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
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Lents, redandwhitekop.com
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Keilloh, Twitter
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Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
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Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
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Joycey, readytogo.net
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Brighton Argus
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Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
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John Robins, Comedian
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Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
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Carcrazychica, Youtube
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Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
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Visualiser1, Twitter
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Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
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Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
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Horatio Melvin, Twitter
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Peter Fears, Twitter
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Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
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Mini-x2, readytogo.net
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Pudabaya, Twitter
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Gabrielle, Chortle.com
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Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
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Iain, eatenbymissionaries
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Len Firewood, Twitter
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Meninblack, Twitter
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Kozzy06, Youtube
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Sam Rooney, Youtube
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Frankie Boyle, Comedian
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Fowkes81, Twitter
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Joe, Independent.co.uk
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Anamatronix, Youtube
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Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
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Stokeylitfest, Twitter
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Guest1001, Youtube
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Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
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Mpf1947, Youtube
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Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
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Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
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Contrapuntal, Twitter
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Hiewy, Youtube
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Pnethor, pne-online.com
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Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
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Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter