Stewart Lee’s latest show is actually two shows. In Tornado he takes his cue from a Netflix listings error that confused his stand-up special with a shark film gorefest. Then in Snowflake he plunges into the world of political correctness.
To be frank, there is not as much distinction as one hoped. Ricky Gervais, for example, is mercilessly teased on either side of the interval.
During one memorable skewering Lee contorts his face and blurts out meaningless dada noises to satirise the notion of comedians saying the unsayable.
While he is quick to knock others he is equally swift to mock himself, recalling how when he had a recent medical check he was regarded not as a pre-eminent performer but as an old, grey fat man, and advised to do some “chair-based activity”.
This is Lee the clever crowdpleaser. There are few overt Brexit ruminations, just astute asides. Instead there are deft Alan Bennett impressions and daft little hops. It is testament to his talent that he is even brutally funny when wrong.
His take-down of Phoebe Waller-Bridge, arguing that she is no gamechanger, misses the mark yet is still hilariously acted out.
If Lee flirts with self-parody with his relentless moans about his increasing decrepitude he has found considerable humour there. Has he jumped the shark? Fortunately for us he is no physical shape to jump over anything.
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph