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
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter