Our hero stumbles onto the stage with a pint, bundle of A4 with unkept hair and grey beard (Julian Assange has let himself go…..Father Abraham from The Smurfs has let himself go…..) for this hastily scheduled Work In Progress show for his Work In Progress show at the weekend. He later reveals that a visit to the doctors earlier that day produced an offer of ‘seated activities for the over 50s’ and the enquiry “have you got someone to look after you at home?”
In the autumn thru spring Stew will have his regular several month residency at the Leicester Square Theatre with ‘Snowflake-Tornado’ and some of the material from this first gig might well appear. So I’m not going to spoil it. An obscure reference garners a response which he hopes will also work in audiences of more than the 60 people crammed into this hot room at 6pm on a Friday in May.
His first sketches of a hour long comedy set are better than some stand ups entire career. Will be fascinating to see how it is honed and perfected between now and October but it went down a storm tonight with Stew wondering “what if this is the best this material ever goes in front of an audience?”
He ends with an ancient piece of material although being Stewart Lee he can’t help but bring his surreal edge to revisiting a comic idea. The whole set obviously has a nervous energy and spontaneity (both planned and genuine) with less of the pausing and chiding of the audience that we’re used to but that only adds to the intensity of the gag rate. Its a genuine treat to see an unpolished but still sparkling diamond this close up
BTW I am sufficiently knowledgeable about the art of comedy to review Stewart Lee but I know funny when I see it
The audience:
Hardcore fans who happened to read an email quick enough to get tickets
It made me think..
Haven’t laughed til it hurt like that in ages. Those moments where you have to remember to breathe and just find yourself involuntarily physically convulsing from a comic idea – that’s magic
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
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Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
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Tokyofist, Youtube
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Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
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Borathigh5, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
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Danazawa, Youtube
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Rubyshoes, Twitter
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Chez, Chortle.com
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
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Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
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Anamatronix, Youtube
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Visualiser1, Twitter
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John Robins, Comedian
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
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Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
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Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
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Funday’schild, youtube.
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Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
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Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
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Al Murray, Comedian
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com