the void
August 11, 2008

Stewart Lee returns for what seems like his 145th Edinburgh show with a ‘work in progress’. Likely to be a different show every night, Lee is showcasing old and new material which he intends to use for an upcoming television project. Because of the format it’s impossible to say what will come up on any given night, but with this old-hand there is always the guarantee of seeing a stand-up who is completely at ease with his material and who promises to have the audience eating out of his hand.

His trademark delivery is slow, considered and uses repetition to dramatic comedic effect – especially, on this night, when he reprises his ‘Del Boy falling through the bar’ routine from last year’s 41st Best Stand Up Ever show. A deconstruction of a record sleeve by a black American comic seems pretty likely to be on the bill throughout the Fringe and builds up beautifully to devastating comedic effect. Ever self-deprecating, Lee takes time to rail against himself as he ventures into well-worn “lazy” observations on Travelodge hotels. Other highlights include a self-penned addition to the modern phenomenon of tragedy literature and definitive material on the much-publicised Fringe box office problems which should make other comics forget about even trying to cover the subject.

The only problem is that going to see any other comedy performer after the mighty Lee feels like switching over to EastEnders after watching a Dennis Potter drama. Simply one of the most mesmerising comedians working today.

David Hepburn