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