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