If Stewart Lee’s recent stand-up show on BBC Two has brought any newcomers to this latest live show, then they’re jumping in at the deep end here. If You Prefer a Milder Comedian, Please Ask For One — yes, the clue is in the title — is right up there with the best work this consistently surprising and beguiling comedian has done.
But as he mixes moments of mock shock with moments of genuine provocation, his most personal revelations with his most far-fetched flights of fancy, we don’t always know where we stand with him.
Does he really wish a hideous death on the Top Gear presenter Richard Hammond? Did Magners cider really take its advertising slogan from a Lee family saying? Did a leading coffee chain really accuse him of faking the stamps on his reward card? Be still, and know.
Mind you, he starts falteringly. His support act, the Canadian comic Tony Law, gets a muted reception — the worst of the tour so far, Lee reproves us. “Now this gig has got off to a bad start,” he says slowly, a teacher taking control of the class, “and if it’s going to work at all, you’re going to have to pick up the pace.”
What I like best about Lee is the way he brings a deeply-felt moral core to work that delights in playing with surfaces. Occasionally he overplays his hand. But mostly his digressions about the mood in the room remind us that our responses really matter — as something worthy of study, not as anything to pander to.
“More than anywhere on the tour,” he tells the supposed bastions of Middle England, “I sense a large Top Gear support.” Pause. “The trouble is,” he continues, “I hate Top Gear.” And, as he goes on to spin a bad-taste yarn about Hammond, ridiculing what he sees as the hypocrisies of Clarkson and crew, the room splits in two.
The context is all there to justify this, just not necessarily when you feel you need it. But show faith and he’ll deconstruct everything, especially his own deconstructions. He takes apart his audience, his looks — a washed-up Terry Christian/Todd Carty/young Albert Finney — and his status as a 41-year-old father resisting gentrification.
Some sequences, such as an inspired one about people who rave on about “the quality of life” abroad, are enabled by sheer performance: control of rhythm, repetition, tone, physicality. Lee has said that he can’t act; this proves him wrong. He even ends on a song, accompanying himself on guitar. There’s a vital sincerity shaking awake all these layers of irony.
One of his targets is Frankie Boyle, who once suggested that stand-ups are no good after 40. Well, Lee rubbishes this like he rubbishes everything else: not in a direct act of revenge, but as a spur to finding material that mixes the deeply felt with the deeply unlikely.
His perpetual games with form mean that he’s not for allcomers. But if you succumb to his spell he’s the most exciting comedian in the country, bar none.
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com