Stewart Lee is a very clever but very disappointed man.
He rails bitterly against the world, against the reviewers that have gone from describing him as a “crumpled Morrissey” to a “squashed Albert Finney”, “against the parents who “think it’s a big joke” that he’s a comedian, against the invisible forces that make his life into a series of heroic failures.
It’s a humour where the observational breeds the surreal, a comedy of layers, weaving various central threads in and out of each other and revisiting them time and again.
There’s the strange half-plaudit of being named 41st Best Stand Up Comedian Ever in a Channel 4 poll, the fact that the funniest thing his mother has ever seen is cheeky Scouse Crosswits host Tom O’Connor telling a bad joke about sardines on a cruise ship and his hapless appearance at the entymologists conference “Pestival” doing stand up dressed as an insect.
He’s always pushed the boundaries of accepted comedy, experimenting with wordplay and mental imagery, questioning the essence of what we find funny and getting laughs with it.
Here he plays ever more recklessly with the rules, forcing your comfort zone by dropping the mike and roaming into the audience, ranting as if in the grip of a nervous breakdown, turning his back to stare out of the window and finally balancing a woollen giraffe on his head and staring mutely as they titter increasingly awkwardly.
It’s a portrait of a man and his disappointed hopes, a cerebral, but angry form of humour – and it’s in the hands of an expert.
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
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Visualiser1, Twitter
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com