Stewart Lee, Warwick Arts Centre, May 24.
WHAT began as an evening of extremely clever and thoroughly thought-through comedy unfortunately did not continue that way.
Stewart Lee will not allow anyone in the audience to ‘not get’ a single joke during the show, as he insists on going back over, ripping apart and piecing back together in (almost painful) detail every single one.
For the first 40 minutes or so, this seems very well-researched, precisely constructed and purposeful and I appreciate the way he clearly thinks very carefully about whatever he says and the different layers of meaning within that. He makes some pertinent points about our prejudices and assumptions and modern life in general and catches out anyone who might be laughing for the ‘wrong’ reason.
From then on, I’m afraid, it just gets boring. Never one to miss anything, Lee is well aware that he has a reputation of ‘going on a bit’ and so he warns us that that’s what he will do. But he doesn’t go on a bit. He goes on a lot.
Yes, I know this is all part of his style and he’s doing it to make a point and it’s all leading to an intelligent and multi-layered conclusion.
Despite all this, for me, by the time he gets to that conclusion, I just don’t care anymore. I’m bored.
A very long-laboured joke about Twitter turns into a big rant, full of unneccessary repetitive swearing, and a mocking of the retail sector’s misuse of the words ‘World of …’ in shop names is just Lee saying the same things again and again for 30 minutes or so.
Having said that, the arts centre’s Butterworth Hall was full and there was a lot of laughter around me. Perhaps I just didn’t ‘get’ it.
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.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
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter