“By the time a comic is playing a room this big he’s creatively redundant,” sighs Stewart Lee.
After years of playing The Stand, two successful series of BBC2’s ‘Stewart Lee’s Comedy Vehicle’ have provoked a new venue for his 25th Fringe show – the bright lights of the newly opened Assembly Rooms.
The first half of his set is typical in its self-referential nature, deconstructing his comedic style and resulting audience reaction with merciless intelligence. As some fail to pick up on the nuances of his opening salvo (the familiar targets of mainstream comedy, Jeremy Clarkson and the right-wing press are suitably obliterated this evening) he pauses and warns the audience: “At least half of you are going to have to raise your game.”
Lee moves on to lament his efforts to find routines while driving around motorways looking at shops, brilliantly stringing out jokes about an Office World employee whose physiological make-up is comprised entirely of stationary (treasury tag DNA clearly more favourable to Lee than the “obvious” pencil sharpener anus) for longer than they should be funny.
As he descends deeper into “the low status character I’m playing this year” some will wonder what to make of his tale of “the gulf between what we are and what we aspire to be” but willing citizens of his Carpet Remnant World know that by constantly pushing boundaries and working effortlessly on more levels than most comedians can even hope to comprehend, Lee is more relevant now than ever.
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, 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
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk