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