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