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