When Stewart Lee tells his audience towards the end of his show that he is the comic that cannot be reviewed, he may have a point.
It might be a cliché to say that he is the stand up comedian for people who don’t like stand up comedians, but in truth I’m not a stand up fan but I love Stewart Lee. His Marmite approach to comedy is certainly unique, and after 25 years in the industry he is as tricky to pigeonhole as ever.
He lays his craft bare, informing us at the start of the show of what routines he will be doing, for how long and even that we get a bonus encore (but he won’t be leaving the stage). When he rips into the audience with full force for 15 minutes before the interval for not getting his jokes, he makes sure he apologises in the second half reassuring those who’ve not seen him before, it was just for a laugh.
A Room with a Stew is Lee’s current show that is a test run of material for his upcoming fourth BBC series of Comedy Vehicle, so it is a piecemeal affair that doesn’t run as smoothly as some of his other shows such as 2012’s Carpet Remnant World, but he admits to the fact that it is shoddy by weaving this into his act, highlighting the difference of £4 on the ticket price so he can afford to park his van full of backdrops.
Lee doesn’t strictly tell jokes and finds pleasure in putting down the comedy hierarchy. No-one is safe, from Lee Mack and Russell Brand to Tim Vine and Jimmy Carr. Roy Chubby Brown might be an easy target but Lee manages to do it so well it’s forgiveable. His playful reluctance to sell himself as a laugh out loud comedian is evident on his poster for the tour that includes a quote from the Telegraph stating that “Stewart Lee is not funny and has nothing to say”.
He relishes the fact that he is unlike his comedy peers at one point telling us that we will be asked later on, “Did you laugh at Stewart Lee?” our response will be “No but I agreed the fuck out of him”. Despite his protestations, Lee is hilarious even when stretching out half an hour’s worth of material about his cat who he has named “Paul Nuttalls from Ukips”.
Stewart Lee is a craftsman and he loves to explain to his audience how he is making them laugh, talking us through his art and trying to catch them out at every turn. This approach is never po-faced and is fascinating to see. In his book, How I escaped my fate: The Life and Deaths of a stand-up comedian (highly recommended), he breaks his act down into the finest detail.
When you consider the work that he puts into making his audience squirm and laugh in equal measure it is easy to believe his faux bitterness at losing the best comedian BAFTA to Graham Norton, who Lee points out “just tips member of the public off a chair”. Much like The Fall’s Mark E Smith, of whom Lee is an outspoken follower, he doesn’t yearn to be popular like the mainstream Norton’s and McIntyre’s of this world, just to be heard.
Lee has given over two nights of his mammoth five month tour to The Phil, when he does return he is well worth a look. His new series of Comedy Vehicle screens in the New Year. Once experienced, you’ll never watch Live at the Apollo again.
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter