SWANDOWN

Swandown is a film by the artist Andrew Kotting and the writer Iain Sinclair. http://www.swandown.info/
I appeared in one scene with Alan Moore. The film opens in July.
I urge you to see it on a big screen where its immersive power will smother you. Here’s their press release.

“For four weeks throughout the months of September and October 2011 Andrew Kötting and Iain Sinclair pedalled a plastic swan over 160 miles from the seaside in Hastings to Hackney in East London.
They drank 84 litres of water, 2 bottles of whisky, 4 bottles of wine and 24 cans of special brew. They got through 8 pairs of sunglasses, a handmade suit, a pair of walking boots and a camper van. Andrew Kötting wore the same clothes throughout.
Iain Sinclair was changed regularly. They met all sorts en route, from the Hoi Polloi to the Hoity Toity, from the very old to the very young, with the pedallo acting as catalyst and magnet.
Sometimes they were accompanied by invited guest pedallers, Alan Moore, Stewart Lee, Dudley Sutton, Dr Mark Lythgoe and Marcia Farquhar. Swandown premieres in the Abandon Normal Devices Film Festival, Manchester on 22nd June and Saturday 23rd June 2012.
Swandown screens at the East End Film Festival, London on 7th July 2012. Swandown opens in cinemas nationwide across the UK on 20th July 2012.”

EDINBURGH – BRIDGET CHRISTIE / S LEE

My wife Bridget Christie, who likes nothing more than to be referred to as ‘wife of comedian Stewart Lee’ by journalists, and I are both at the new/old Assembly Rooms venue on George St in Edinburgh in August.
I am doing Carpet Remnant World for the last time.
Bridget is doing her new show War Donkey at 1.30, but the Fringe website is confusing about the times.
Bridget Christie – The War Donkey.

What are Tory feminists? How did Hitler choose soups in restaurants?
Why isn’t there a Spielberg blockbuster about donkeys, and why did Colonel Gadaffi hate them?

Bridget Christie knows. And will wear stilts.

Baffling stand-up and grotesque manifestations from someone who’s been on Radio 4’s News Quiz, E4’s Cardinal Burns, Sarah Millican’s Support Group and Harry Hill’s Little Internet Show.

‘Avant-garde comedian of prodigious talent’ (Guardian).
‘True, beautiful insanity’ (Sunday Times).
‘Brilliant political bite’ (Arts Desk).
‘Insightful, intelligent, absurd … hits highs of genuine brilliance’ (Chortle.co.uk).
www.bridgetchristie.co.uk, and join Bridget’s mailing list here for more news.

Book here. http://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/comedy/bridget-christie-war-donkey Total sell out 2011.
And me : http://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/comedy/stewart-lee-carpet-remnant-world

11 EDINBLUR TIPS FOR SHOWS BY PEOPLE I’VE SEEN AT SOME POINT

Aaaaaargh It’s The Greatest Show On Legs – alt com pioneers, Hive, 9pm.
Botallack O’Clock – great Cornish theatre co – Gilded Balloon 1.40.
Bridget Christie – satire in animal costumes, Assembly Rooms, 1.30.
Charlie Chuck – deranged absurdist, Space Cabaret, 12.30 pm 13th – 25th.
Daniel Kitson – As Of 1.52 GMT – new monologue at Traverse, times vary..
Derevo, Mephisto Waltz – Russian physical theatre, Assembly Roxy 8pm.
Dick Gaughan – Scottish folk singer, Acoustic Music Centre, 13th Aug.
Jane Bom-Bane – mechanical hat songs – Laughing Horse, 4.45 FREE.
Jerry Sadowitz – the master s/up, Assemby Rooms, 17th-18th Aug.
Nick Pynn – ingenious art folk in intimate space, Inalingua 9.45.
Tony Law – 12.30 Stand 1, 47 year old newcomer comic.

7 EDINBLUR TIPS FOR SHOWS I’VE NOT SEEN

Josie Long & Sam Schafer’s Awkward Romance – Mood, 1.45, 13-17th.
Appointment With The Wicker Man, – play, 3.10 Assembly Rooms..
Eat A Queer Foetus For Jesus – good title, 9.50, Counting House.
Carmen Funebre – arty fire thing, 10.30 at that big Quad on Aug 14th.
Macbeth by some circus Poles, 10.30 at that Quad, 2nd-13th August.
Go To The Devil & Shake Y’Self, papal powerpop song cycle, Ryans. 4-19th.
Spirit Sideshow – looks weird 10.45 Counting House 19 – 27th.

YOU ARE NOTHING, BOOK

Buy You Are Nothing at GoFasterStripe
Robert Wringham’s important book, You Are Nothing, is available above. Thee Fyrst and Onlie History of Cluub Zarathustra It comes complete with a limited edition Cluub badge, and also a free download of a pdf copy of the book!

It’s! Simon Munnery. Stewart Lee. Roger Mann. Lori Lixenberg. Richard Thomas. Kevin Eldon.
Also! Richard Herring. Jason Freeman. Sally Phillips. Tom Binns. Andy Riley. Dave Thompson.
And! Harry Hill. Waen Shepherd. Al Murray. Graham Linehan. Johnny Vegas. Peter Baynham. Julian Barratt.

Cluub Zarathustra was an unorthodox comedy club based in an Islington pub basement between 1994 and 1997.
Anticipating Fist of Fun, The Mighty Boosh, and Jerry Springer: The Opera, it all happened here, presided over by The League Against Tedium.
Those who attended bore witness to the birth of today’s finest comedy. They were also insulted, dribbled on, and forced to wear dunce’s caps. But that was all part of the fun.
Based on new interviews with the principal cast, supporting artists, and audience members (and on tonnes of fusty old interviews and press cuttings too), Robert Wringham tells the story of Cluub Zarathustra: the seldom-celebrated and viciously experimental underground comedy cabaret.

At last! The story of Cluub Zarathustra can be told. Finally! Roger Mann bares all. Regrettably! It’s mostly based on drunken half-memories from two decades ago.
Come. Join us at the wonkiest, yet arguably most important, crossroads in all of comedy history.

CARPET REMNANT WORLD

Carpet Remnant World is the title of the new full length show, Aug 2011-Aug 2012.
Thanks to all who came so far. It has been really very good.
The show has been slimmed down from its original 2hrs running time to 75 minutes for the final dates, including a reprise of the show for the 2012 Edinburgh Fringe, as part of The Stand’s Assembly Rooms program, having been originally run it at The Stand in the Summer of 2011.
DON’T WORRY. THE 2012 Assembly Rooms program is nothing to do with the ASSEMBLY company, that used to be housed there, run by Bill Burdett-Coutts, of Coutts Bank.
It will not, therefore, feature loads of out of date Radio 4 acts, exploited theatre companies, and lousy comedians shoe-horned in by management company package deals, and so you can go there with the same confidence you would approach, say, The Stand.
I am worried the cool kids will think Assembly Rooms is Assembly and stay away.
It isn’t. Don’t.

Monday 30th – The Stand, Newcastle
Tuesday 31st – Falkirk Comedy Festival, Falkirk

Thursday 2nd – The Stand @ The Assembly Rooms, George Street, Edinburgh – 6.05pm – Book Online.
Friday 3rd – The Stand @ The Assembly Rooms, George Street, Edinburgh – 6.05pm – Book Online.
Saturday 4th – The Stand @ The Assembly Rooms, George Street, Edinburgh – 6.05pm – Book Online.
Sunday 5th – The Stand @ The Assembly Rooms, George Street, Edinburgh – 6.05pm – Book Online.
Monday 6th – The Stand @ The Assembly Rooms, George Street, Edinburgh – 6.05pm – Book Online.
Tuesday 7th – The Stand @ The Assembly Rooms, George Street, Edinburgh – 6.05pm – Book Online.
Wednesday 8th – The Stand @ The Assembly Rooms, George Street, Edinburgh – 6.05pm – Book Online.
Thursday 9th – The Stand @ The Assembly Rooms, George Street, Edinburgh – 6.05pm – Book Online.
Friday 10th – The Stand @ The Assembly Rooms, George Street, Edinburgh – 6.05pm – Book Online.
Saturday 11th – The Stand @ The Assembly Rooms, George Street, Edinburgh – 6.05pm – Book Online.
Sunday 12th – The Stand @ The Assembly Rooms, George Street, Edinburgh – 6.05pm – Book Online.
Tuesday 14th – The Stand @ The Assembly Rooms, George Street, Edinburgh – 6.05pm – Book Online.
Wednesday 15th – The Stand @ The Assembly Rooms, George Street, Edinburgh – 6.05pm – Book Online.
Thursday 16th – The Stand @ The Assembly Rooms, George Street, Edinburgh – 6.05pm – Book Online.
Friday 17th – The Stand @ The Assembly Rooms, George Street, Edinburgh – 6.05pm – Book Online.
Saturday 18th – The Stand @ The Assembly Rooms, George Street, Edinburgh – 6.05pm – Book Online.
Sunday 19th – The Stand @ The Assembly Rooms, George Street, Edinburgh – 6.05pm – Book Online.
Tuesday 21st – The Stand @ The Assembly Rooms, George Street, Edinburgh – 6.05pm – Book Online.
Wednesday 22nd – The Stand @ The Assembly Rooms, George Street, Edinburgh – 6.05pm – Book Online.
Thursday 23rd – The Stand @ The Assembly Rooms, George Street, Edinburgh – 6.05pm – Book Online.
Friday 24th – The Stand @ The Assembly Rooms, George Street, Edinburgh – 6.05pm – Book Online.
Saturday 25th – The Stand @ The Assembly Rooms, George Street, Edinburgh – 6.05pm – Book Online.
Sunday 26th – The Stand @ The Assembly Rooms, George Street, Edinburgh – 6.05pm – Book Online.

AUTUMN DATES

Sunday Sept 16th – FRANK SIDEBOTTOM STATUE FUNDRAISER, LEXINGTON, LONDON

It’s a fantastic Frank Sidebottom Statue Fundraiser organised by the London branch, being held at the Lexington, London N1 on Sunday 16th September.
Appearing on the night will be:
STEWART LEE, SIMON MUNNERY, KEVIN ELDON, BRIDGET CHRISTIE ,THE GLUVETS, DREAM THEMES, ADRIAN R TEENBEAT.. and THE (LONDON) OH BLIMEY BIG BAND.

Running order will be decided on the night, according to what we think will work best showbiz-wise.
Come on down for thrills and fun, including a raffle, merch stall, ‘the Sidie mannequin’ and our fantastic puppet finale.
++ These will sell out in about minus one second, so don’t miss out! ++
A fundraiser for the indie/comedy legend, Frank Sidebottom. The man underneath the papier mache head, Chris Sievey, sadly, died on June 21st 2010, after a short battle with cancer.
Now, the FRANK SIDEBOTTOM STATUE FUND has been set up in an attempt to raise £60,000 for a bronze statue of Frank, which will be placed in Timperley Village as a permanent tribute / memorial.
More details about Frank, the fund and how you can donate in the meantime, can be found here. http://www.franksidebottom.org.uk/site/
We miss Frank and we want the campaign for a statue to succeed. He put Timperley on the map. You know he did, he really did.
And he was an enormous influence and inspiration to a great many people. Not to mention, a fantastic bloke.
We’re very lucky to have some big names involved in this, all giving their time absolutely free, and are looking for other high profile acts to get involved with future events across the country. £10.23 7pm http://www.wegottickets.com/event/170451

Weds Sept 26th – Cancer benefit, London somewhere
Friday 21st Dec – Robin Ince Xmas show, London Hammersmith Apollo.

INDETERMINACY

JOHN CAGE – INDETERMINACY. WITH STEVE BERESFORD, TANIA CHEN, STEWART LEE & ALAN TOMLINSON. TOUR OF LONDON – SEPTEMBER 2012
I say, “Please come. These shows are always a little bit magic.”
Three contemporary musicians and a comedian tour John Cage’s Indeterminacy around London in a three night marathon of unusual events. Indeterminacy was originally recorded in 1959, with David Tudor playing the piano and John Cage reading aloud 90 stories, each lasting one minute.
Tonight, fearless contemporary pianists Tania Chen and Steve Beresford will assume the role of Tudor, accompanying the comedian Stewart Lee reading Cage’s stories, with occasional unrelated events on the piano (and other things).
This is a performance which disorientates and transfixes and audience.
Beresford addresses its strange effect: ‘There’s no word for it, which is why it’s worth doing.’
The first half of the programme will comprise a performance of John Cage’s Solo For Sliding Trombone, by Alan Tomlinson, and improvisations by Steve Beresford and Tania Chen.
1) Sunday 23/9/12 Battersea Arts Centre, Lavender Hill, Battersea, London, SW11 5TN Box Office: 020 7223 2223 £10/8 Time 7pm http://www.bac.org.uk/whats-on/
2) Monday 24/9/12 Kings Place, 90 York Way, LONDON, N1 9AG Box Office 020 7520 1490. £12.50, Time 8pm http://www.kingsplace.co.uk/whats-on-book-tickets
3) Tuesday 25/9/2012 – Café Oto, 18-22 Ashwin Street, London, E8 3DL Box office 020 7923 1231 8pm £8/£10 http://www.wegottickets.com/event/172410

A SOUND ADVENTURE

‘A Sound British Adventure”, written by Mark ‘Palace Of Light’ Brend and presented by comedian Stewart Lee, discovers how after World War 2 a small group of electronic pioneers began tinkering with their army surplus kit to create new sounds and music, and traces the development of Electronic Music in Britain.
The show transmits on BBC Radio 4 Tuesday 14th August 2012 at 11.30am and is repeated Saturday 18th August at 3.30pm.
It will also be on the BBC iplayer for seven days after broadcast.

CARPET REMNANT WORLD DVD

Recorded at The Lyceum Theatre Sheffield, Stewart Lee’s CARPET REMNANT WORLD will be available on DVD on 12th November.

The grumpy old comedian will again release the DVD via Comedy Central in his latest fruitless attempt at knocking much better known TV comics off the top of the Christmas DVD charts.

This new DVD has again been produced by the team behind STEWART LEE’S COMEDY VEHICLE.

Click here to pre-order ‘Carpet Remnant World’ from Amazon.