I’VE BEEN doing stand-up for 17 years,” says Stewart Lee, “and I can tell when there is tension in the room.” There is indeed. Lee has long been one of the most skilful, stimulating comics in Britain — never more so than in last year’s exquisite comeback, a demolition job on the false imperatives of our sentimentalised society. This year, though, he has raised the stakes. Some people will clearly find it unacceptable. Others will delight in the free rein he has given himself. I found it a strikingly provocative, often extremely funny, slightly overambitious blend of the personal and the political.
The political first: Lee puts his personal woes in the context of the climate of extremism that led to the July 7 bombings. He compares the unachievable aims of al-Qaeda — the destruction of Western Judaeo-Christian civilisation — with the quainter, more gentlemanly bombers of yesteryear, the IRA: “Proper British terrorists. They didn’t want to be British, but they were.”
And those personal woes? A stomach that is eating itself. A career that is ostensibly fading. And, oh yes, the threats made against him by militant Christians after the BBC Two broadcast of Jerry Springer The Opera, the show he co-wrote and directed that depicted a gay Jesus in a nappy.
Hence the extended anecdote that dominates the latter half of the show. Lee, hiding out at his mum’s house, encounters Jesus — or is it merely his delusion of Jesus? — who then debases himself in order to alleviate the drunken suffering of Stewart Lee, former star of TV’s Fist of Fun.
The opening half is funnier. It nails the nonsense purveyed by gentler targets such as the comic Joe Pasquale or Dan Brown, the author of The Da Vinci Code. But Dan Brown leads to the Vatican — “I love Catholicism. It’s my favourite form of clandestine global evil” — and to the bloody-minded testing of limits that makes up the second half.
This may all sound earnest. Far from it: Lee’s dour, steady delivery belies one of the most playful spirits in comedy. His precision of language both highlights the muddle-headedness of his targets and creates gloriously vivid pictures.
The second half is in some ways a wrong turn, though. Lee could do more to bring out the personal sense of hurt that came with his hounding as a blasphemer. Without it, the bad-taste Jesus anecdote is too long to sustain the ideas — of freedom of expression, of the mutability of religious icons — that it supports. So sometimes, yes, it does seem a bit much. But, once again, Lee is out there pushing the form like nobody else. This is awkward but thrilling stuff.
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, 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
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube