In what seems like an act of closure on his 30 year career as it stands, Stewart Lee has crushed selected material into a three-hour evening in what could easily be termed a binge.
As usual with Lee there are many levels to this show, which describes a considered arc from some of his most accessible material, through a transition period which is neither post-modern nor archaic, and finally into a full hour of the lowest form of art – musical comedy.
By closing the show with an hour of almost unplayed guitar he manages to both validate and undermine the tiresome indulgence of the rockstar comedian persona – a mould into which he certainly doesn’t fit – a fitting move for the “London intelligentsia in the cathedral of culture.”
However, there is a parallel arc running counter to the thread of the evening, and that’s one of self-referential deconstruction, a fractalline engine which forms the conceptual centre of much of Lee’s work.
Self-aware comics always flirt with a dangerous mistress – even the most switched-on and intelligent ones – so to forge an entire evening of measured, witty and thought-provoking social comedy which encompasses three decades of work with precisely on-point unifying themes is a testament to the rare skill that Lee posseses.
Many of today’s newer comics simply don’t appreciate the history and nuance of their art as practised by prior generations. An ability to mete out vulgarity and use the odd silly word next to piece of weak observation tend to be lauded higher than the more subtle notions of social awareness, inclusivity and artistic solidity.
The timing of Lee’s “austerity binge” season is in perfect synchrony with both his career curve and the cyclic return of the Tory government, as he delicately and sharply makes clear throughout, culminating in a poetic anecdote about the Prime Minister, the “vomiting and pissing Buller boy” David Cameron.
There aren’t many words appropriate to precis the character, nature and ability of the 41st-best stand-up in Britain – Stewart Lee is the Stewart Lee of comedy.
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, 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
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube