In many ways stand-up comedy is as much a science as it is an art. Jokes can be constructed in a careful, thoughtful manner, each word and pause placed in just the right place to generate the maximum amount of humour. And in that area of comedy, Lee has no equal. He’s a true master of the form. Some may say his stretching out of a 20-second anecdote into a ten-minute routine, but the fact that in the course of that routine Lee repeats said anecdote over ten times, getting a laugh for each, turns it into something of a lesson on comedy itself, and how to eek every last bit of humour out of a short and simple tale. It’s just an absolute joy to watch him work, and any new or aspiring comics should go and see this show as soon as possible as it will teach you ten times what any workshop, book or lecture ever will. For the rest of us just wanting something funny, Lee doesn’t disappoint, though if you want to avoid disappointing him you may wish to research 80s Marvel Comics character The Watcher before attending.
Some of the subjects he touches on would likely be considered hack or cliched if performed by any other comic: do we really need another lecture on the declining standards of TV and the Big Brother racism row? Well, yes, we do actually. As TV is still getting worse and worse and Big Brother is a huge part of why that’s happening. Plus Lee’s ideas might not actually be original but his presentation of them far surpasses any other comics who have tackled such issues.
To top it all Lee even talks a little about his family and his personal life, an issue not really tackled in his stand-up before, and it adds an interesting relatable human factor to his stage persona, giving a brief glimpse at the man behind the ‘mask’ and his motivation for doing what he does.
Simply one of the best shows of The Fringe.
Number of arbitrary things out of things for people who can’t be bothered reading the review: 5/5
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube