Watching Stewart Lee perform is akin to observing a sea squirt settling on a rock and attempting to eat itself. One of the scene’s smartest talents, Lee is back on the Fringe, gnawing away at comedy conventions. Not for him the easy laughs, Lee’s are increasingly shows of an altogether more complex persuasion.
It’s his 25th year in Edinburgh, and Lee’s feeling creatively spent, recent fatherhood and tedious drives to gigs leaving him high and dry. But this is Stewart Lee; things are seldom what they seem.
With a backdrop of rolls of carpet behind him, Lee mocks us first with some topical stand-up, from Osama Bin Laden to Andres Breivik and Jeremy Clarkson. ‘This isn’t for you,’ deadpans Lee at the Jimmy Carr fans in the audience and ‘those up the back’, before indulging in a highly amusing rant about Twitter’s ‘surveillance culture’, and his trips to a sea of ‘World of . . .’ establishments.
Just as one gag is done, Lee starts deconstructing it – ‘I mean the opposite of what I just said’ – complete with long-winded explanation.
The die-hard fans are in residence, the young man in front appearing to combust before Lee has let out a sound; elsewhere, some lame clapping hecklers enjoy short shrift.
Those unfamiliar with Lee’s donnish semantics may well miss some of the funnier observations he’s making about comedy, in this crazily weaved narrative of a show, but Lee cares not a jot as he goes hell for (the World of) leather, bringing a typically caustic end to an intentionally drawn out show
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.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
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube