Stewart Lee (and guest), Hall For Cornwall, Truro
Review by Gareth Bartlett
THE “White Supremacist Theme Park” of Cornwall had an unexpected visit from the county’s Benign Spirit in Truro.
Last night’s Stewart Lee show at Hall For Cornwall was going rather well – despite the stand-up comedian’s insistence to the contrary – until a man sauntered down to the front row and awkwardly swung a leg onto the edge of the stage.
Before we knew it, he was centre stage with the self-styled thinking man’s comic, barely coherent and revealing himself to be a reformed heckler.
Ten minutes later he was still there, with Lee having chosen to use him to prove a point about the intricacies of his craft rather than just boot him off.
The guest’s tale about protecting a cat from seagulls and later buying a pasty will be the one that most people tell purely for the “Is this really happening?” incredulity of the whole thing.
But while it was certainly a unique show for the tour, which had already swept through the city nine months ago, it would be a shame for the other hour-and-a-bit to be overshadowed.
Not only was it hysterically funny, but it was also gripping and thought-provoking – though it’s greatest achievement in my eyes was persuading this reviewer that it was amusing at all.
I’d watched a bit of Stewart’s TV series at the behest of What’s On editor Lee Trewhela and West Briton editor David Thomas – both huge fans. They told me it was must-watch comedy but I probably wouldn’t appreciate it, because it was too clever for the likes of me – a sub-40-year-old who enjoys the humour of Some Mothers Do ‘Ave Em and Ricky Gervais.
And they were at least half right – I didn’t get into the TV show and switched off after about ten minutes. The comedian’s style is very much aimed at telling the audience they’re not smart enough to understand his show – and pointed out our faults all night as we laughed at the wrong jokes, didn’t laugh enough or got our timing horribly wrong.
So to have spent most of Wednesday night open-mouthed and achy-jawed was something of a remarkable triumph.
The comedian helped things along by opening the show with a severe warning to the audience not to have their phones out otherwise he would come down, snatch it off them and smash it with his mic stand, then take it back stage and pleasure himself over what remained of the digital memories of their children.
So far, so on my level.
The political and socio-economic stuff came shortly after, of course, but it was never out of the reach of your average, mildly-interested-in-the-news theatre attendee.
There were gags about Graham Norton, BAFTA and Lee Mack to keep things grounded but it was the comedian’s deconstruction of comedy that made the whole show such a joy.
Setting up his own callbacks and creating bonus laughs where they shouldn’t exist, you could call it a masterclass in comedy theory.
There were moments that didn’t work for me – I was among the half of the audience that didn’t lap up the repetitive “list of food items on newspaper columnist Rod Liddle” gag but then others loved it.
But despite Lee opening the show insisting it’s all scripted and he pretends to cobble it together as he goes along, it was the moments of genuine unpredictability that turned it from an incredibly funny show to one that will be long remembered by both audience and performer. It started when three men wandered in late and “destroyed the rhythm” of the rest of the show, then a piece of ticker tape fell from the HFC gantry and crushed the finale of a key gag, before ultimately happening again in the second half before the reformed heckler wandered on for the encore.
For me, those moments showed Lee at his best – thinking on his feet to create magical bonus moments before returning to the routine almost as if nothing had happened.
His own knowledge of Cornwall and our cultures and ways of life were the icing on the cake – the highlight of the whole show for me being the words I started this whole review with: referring to Cornwall as a white supremacist theme park. And if you don’t understand that reference, you’re not smart enough to be at a Stewart Lee show.
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork