Stewart Lee’s 2012 Fringe kicked off in typically provocative vein, when his Guardian article (headlined ‘The Slow Death of the Edinburgh Fringe’) delivered an industry-savvy knee to the groin of corporate comedy promoters. While PRs dealt with the aftermath from his wrath, the 25-time Fringe veteran holds court this year at the chandeliered, revamped Assembly Rooms.
Insider knowledge of the comedy game is only one card up Lee’s sleeve. There’s also his signature self-aware, deconstruction tactic, employed with grade-A mastery here. ‘I mean the opposite of what I just said,’ he condescends after a sarcastic aside. When laughs don’t arrive fast enough, he deadpans, a twinkle in his eye: ‘you’re gonna have to up your game’.
Pedantry, semantics, current affairs and affectionate disdain feature too in a show about his supposed lack of a show, due to fatherhood and being ‘creatively spent’. Although the last 15 minutes genuinely sag, making it seem like the biter has bit himself in the bum, the ploy is clever and the good bits still stomach-hurtingly funny.
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Gwaites, Digitalspy
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DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
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Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
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Aaron, comedy.co.uk
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Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
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98rosjon, Twitter
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James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
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Shit Crit, Twitter
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John Robins, Comedian
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Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
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Anon, westhamonline.com
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Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
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Gabrielle, Chortle.com
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Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
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Peter Ould, Youtube
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Joycey, readytogo.net
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Funday’schild, youtube.
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General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
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Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
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Slothy Matt, Twitter
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Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
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Etienne, Chortle.com
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Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
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Fowkes81, Twitter
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Pudabaya, Twitter
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Horatio Melvin, Twitter
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Zombie Hamster, Twitter
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Iain, eatenbymissionaries
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Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
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Tres Ryan, Twitter
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Cyberbloke, Twitter
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A D Ward, Twitter
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Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
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Richard Herring, Comedian
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Frankie Boyle, Comedian
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Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
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Rudeness, Youtube
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Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
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NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
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Fairy Pingu, Twitter
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Emilyistrendy, Youtube
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World Without End, Twitter
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Clampdown59, Twitter.
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Birmingham Sunday Mercury
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Dick Socrates, Twitter
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Sam Rooney, Youtube
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Sidsings000, Youtube
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Peter Fears, Twitter
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Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
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Joe, Independent.co.uk
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Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
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Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
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Microcuts 22, Twitter
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Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
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Peter Ould, Twitter
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Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
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GRTak, finalgear.com
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Mearecate, Youtube
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BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
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Guest1001, Youtube
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Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
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Tin Frog, Twitter
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Mrdavisn01, Twitter
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Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
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Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
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Mpf1947, Youtube
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Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
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Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
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Anon, BBC Complaints Log
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Al Murray, Comedian
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FBC, finalgear.com
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Carcrazychica, Youtube
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Borathigh5, Youtube
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Lents, redandwhitekop.com
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Chez, Chortle.com
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Len Firewood, Twitter
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Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
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Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
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Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
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Kozzy06, Youtube
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Meninblack, Twitter
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Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
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Keilloh, Twitter
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Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
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Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
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Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
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Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
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Bosco239, youtube
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Idrie, Youtube
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Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
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Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
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Anamatronix, Youtube
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Mini-x2, readytogo.net
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Liam Travitt, Twitter
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Contrapuntal, Twitter
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Visualiser1, Twitter
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Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
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Pnethor, pne-online.com
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Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
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Wharto15, Twitter
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Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
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12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
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Stuart, Chortle
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Leach Juice, Twitter
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Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
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Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
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Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
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Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
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Brighton Argus
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Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
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Z-factor, Twitter.
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Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
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Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
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Rubyshoes, Twitter
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Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
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Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
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Jackmumf, Twitter
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Secretdeveloper, Youtube
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Sweeping Curves, Twitter
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Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph