In his twenty five year career Stewart Lee has held that most feted title of being a ‘comedian’s comedian’. He has purposefully avoided the exposure that the majority of his profession crave, for fear of attracting what he describes as “Jimmy Carr fans.” His arrogance and intellectual snobbery are unabashed. As expected, the crowd that packed the Leicester Square Theatre couldn’t have been more middle class if it were a celeriac sale at Waitrose.
His opening monologue centred on world affairs, detailing David Cameron’s shortcomings as a leader in comparison to Colonel Gaddafi: “Liyba…now that’s real Big Society”, although he did concede Muammar “hasn’t had the best of years.”
Russell Howard, John Bishop and any every other member of the panel show circuit were dismissed for their banality, or in Frankie Boyle’s case, offensiveness without humour.
Throughout, Lee demonstrated his usual high wire act of deconstructing jokes immediately after, or even before, their delivery, using repetition and pregnant pauses to heighten the sense of “passive aggressive monotony.”
While the show was deliberately fragmented, a loose narrative weaved through on how his life now consists of just “driving on motorways to gigs” and “watching Scooby Do with my four year old son.” This culminated in a memorable scenario whereby Thatcher was seemingly at fault for Scooby and the gang’s constant misfortune.
The second half was markedly more aggressive in tone. Twitter was denounced as simply surveillance, used by those whose “lives are empty…just like mine.” This led to a reading of vitriolic online comments critiquing not only his political ideology and comedic ability but his likeness to “a 90’s Eskimo.”
The performance ended on a musical note. An inappropriately soothing jazz soundtrack played over a gloriously expletive filled rant that raged at everything from Bin Laden to the stores of Office World.
Stewart Lee may complain that TV has diluted his audience, that middle aged parenthood has rendered his material meaningless and that our social media orientated, coalition governed society has left him jaded. Don’t believe him. This is razor-sharp subversive comedy at its best.
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.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
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube