Either Stewart Lee was attempting a biting social satire of property developer culture or something more sinister in Interiors. Unfortunately he doesn’t manage either.
The main misjudgment in this blackly comic theatre-cum-performance art attempt is casting Johnny Vegas in the role of Jeffrey Parkin, the trouble shooter-turned-Montenegro property developer, whose beloved semi-detached home we are being shown around.
Vegas does a mean line in put-upon losers, and Parkin, naive, pretentious and desperately trying to sell up for a new life, is certainly that.
But having the shambolic St Helens comic uttering self-conscious gags about middle-class preoccupations with organic tea and MDF is akin to watching Germaine Greer in the Big Brother house: weird and unconvincing.
You can’t fault the ambition however. There are fleeting moments of pathos-driven darkness (one in particular cruelly interrupted with a question about council tax from an over-zealous audience member).
The Victorian house with its ‘original features’ is a fine vehicle for Parkin’s story, and unopened post and photos on the fridge all add to the voyeurism and discomfort.
But, unusually for Lee, the writing is stilted and the acting is without real conviction. In fact, unless you’re going along in buyer capacity, Interiors is an unholy waste of £25.
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter