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