What could possibly link Mark Ravenhill, the Damien Hirst of the theatre world, and Stewart Lee, the creator of the puzzlingly controversial Jerry Springer – the Opera?
Presumably what appears to be a bloody-minded ability to inspire controversy and then thumb their nose at it? So stick two monologues together which treat Islam and Christianity with irreverence and hey presto – instant holy war, right?
Possibly, but not tonight. Perhaps the – for once – ambiguous titling by Ravenhill of Product has, for now, disarmed those who might seethe about its story within a story of a Muslim Jihadist who has sex with a widow of the Twin Towers attacks. And perhaps the Christians have got tired of harassing Lee for his obsession with telling the truth, as he sees it, about the gospels. More fun for the rest of us, then, in this thoroughly entertaining, only slightly disappointing, juxtaposition of dramatic voices.
To start with Ravenhill, Product is a remix of his Edinburgh show of 2005 where the writer himself plays a film producer, James, pitching a film to Olivia, an A-list film star – a “Sienna Miller type” as he has put it. James strolls camply about his office, telling her the film’s story – a tasteless Hollywood take on the 9/11 bombings which is surely, in reality, only just around the corner.
Ravenhill is a revelation as a performer. He looks somewhat like a fat Dr. Evil in an Armani suit, but it is more than his physical size that gives him his stage presence. For 60 longish minutes he holds my attention in what is a fairly sharp, if perhaps a little obvious, satire on the world-renowned ability of Hollywood to take any important event and cheapen it.
As a storyteller he is more successful here, in my view, than in the vacuous Shopping and Fucking. His beautifully timed, almost self-referential, comic defusing of some of the shocking images and language he uses with lines such as “we had a theatre writer work on this bit” or “it’s a private note – we won’t shoot it” are immaculate. His foil, the mute Jo Lobban, does a superbly understated line in eyebrow raising, and the whole thing is mesmerising, if maybe fifteen minutes too long.
I have forgiven Lee, no longer the lithe young man of his Fist of Fun days, for not allowing me to review Talk Radio at last year’s Edinburgh Fringe – admittedly he might not have known anything about it – but, reading between the lines, it does seem he has not forgiven those who trespassed against him in 2006. His brush with Christian fundamentalism is surely the impetus behind this engaging ‘stand-up theatre’ routine where, in the style of himself, he relates Judas’s version of the events that led to Christ’s crucifixion.
Lee has the natural story-telling knack that all the best stand-ups possess. In this semi-theatrical monologue (which he is hoping to turn, by the end of run, more into a discussion group based around nuts) he subverts the usual comedian’s trick of asking “who are you, sir, and where are you from?” in order to find a hook for his wit, by asking the audience questions in the manner of a Sunday School teacher, testing our knowledge and engagement with his act. Going slightly further than Brecht might have, he not only talks to his audience, he gets them on stage to re-enact the Last Supper and hands the rest of us wine and bread. However, superb a storyteller as Lee is, like the free victuals he plies us with, they fail quite to satisfy as Ravenhill’s piece manages without the audience-pleasing demagoguery.
What is interesting about both these two shows is how far in both the storyteller and the story become entwined. Ravenhill’s piece could be done justice to by any good actor, yet the writer chooses to put himself centre-stage. Lee’s story is told in such a personal way and in such an idiosyncratic style, it could not be performed by anyone other than him. Ultimately, much as I have disliked Ravenhill’s work in the past, it is the daring and complexity of his piece which allows it to live with you long after the blackout. Lee’s piece is a brilliant bit of nouveau stand-up, but, sadly for him, ideas cannot live on Tesco-bought bread alone.
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, 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
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter