The set-up: Stewart Lee is currently Britain’s best standup comedian. No poll will ever crown him that, and he has certainly not made the money or the heavy impact of, say, Billy Connolly or Eddie Izzard. But if we are judging this on who causes most laughter, provokes most thought, and does both in new ways, then Lee owns the podium.
His career began brightly in the mid-1990s, when he wrote and performed some excellent work in a double act with Richard Herring. By 2001, however, television had lost interest in him, and he had lost interest in standup, devoting much of his time instead to a new musical called Jerry Springer – The Opera. This became a big success, before almost collapsing under the weight of protest from Christians who had heard about its irreverent portrayal of Christ, and were provisionally offended. Lee was subjected to a hate campaign, which he lost much sleep and money over.
Yet it is strange how often a comic’s best work comes out of turmoil and failure. (See also Chris Rock, Ellen DeGeneres and Margaret Cho.
Lee had already returned to standup the previous year, but in this show, for the first time, he addressed what he had gone through. “An insane overreaction to religious censorship” is how he describes his performance in the DVD extras. “Doing it makes me quite miserable a lot of the time, if I do it properly.”
Funny, how? The phrase “anti-comedy” has begun to adhere to Lee’s work since its renaissance – and the fact that he has a style worth naming tells you a lot – but to my mind the description isn’t right. Yes, he leaves punchlines unspoken and deconstructs his own jokes, but so do many comics. Yes, he speaks in a drab, affectless monotone. Yes, he is sarcastic, deadpan, outwardly miserable, obsessed with technique and fourth-wall-breaking – to the extent that this show begins with him telling the audience that he won’t pick on them if they go to the toilet, before peering into the camera to explain that we can press pause to do the same. (“And I won’t even know that it’s happening.”)
What is most distinctive about his work, however, is not that it is anti-comedic, but that it is so theatrical. Lee has since analysed this performance in a book, which picks apart the fine decisions behind every laugh, yet it is just as important that he performed it with such dramatic intensity. The long pauses are what Lee commands a room with, the repetitions, the climbing down into the audience, the delivery of some bits with his back turned, the sudden dropping of the microphone and deciding just to shout. There are comedians who risk all kinds of rudeness, but how many dare to take themselves this seriously? The exciting feeling with Lee is that he is completely in control of what he is doing, yet he could do anything – as witnessed by the extraordinary moment where, in the wake of the 7/7 attacks, he gets this audience to applaud the “gentleman bombers” of the IRA.
While later, in a bravura last half-hour, he sneaks up on just about the most extremely blasphemous image that any Christian could imagine – Christ splaying open his own anus for Lee to vomit into, since you ask — before coolly setting out his reasons.
Lee used to like saying that his critical reputation oscillates, roughly, on a five-year cycle. This must be why, six years after I first saw it, I am still deluded into thinking that 90s Comedian is the best standup show I’ve ever seen.
Comic cousins: Steven Wright, Neil Hamburger, Chris Morris, Tim Vine, Simon Munnery.
Steal this: “In January last year, the Vatican issued an official statement reminding Dan Brown readers that the books are largely fictional and full of historically unverifiable information.” [Pause.]
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, 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
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter