Stewart Lee sums up his latest show Carpet Remnant World perfectly when he describes it as ‘an aggressive lecture’. Seemingly uncomfortable with his own fame, he is addressing the people who may have brought friends along with them that evening, believing this will be an entertaining night of comedy. Which of course it is – but not if you are more used to A Night at the Apollo.
As with his previous routines, Lee – ever the post-modernist – analyses his audience and deconstructs why some people are laughing and others aren’t. He also tells stories and then admits that they are not true and tells the same joke in a different language, playfully making us look at the form of stand-up.
The first half of the show, which he performed at Nottingham Playhouse last Thursday, referred to news events of the previous year such as Bin Laden’s death and Norwegian mass murderer Andreas Breivik. At times this was a little patchy and the narrative was not always as tight as it could have been – but that’s not to say there weren’t some glorious moments. I particularly liked Lee’s parody of Ricky Gervais performing at one of his stadium gigs, arrogantly running onto the stage, surveying his vast audience and revelling in the applause.
It was after the interval that Lee really came into his own. Explaining that he had no material because he now spends his days driving on the motorway and looking after his son, he expertly weaved a narrative around visiting soulless retail parks, Twitter, Scooby Doo and Thatcher. The routine was politically astute, surreal and drew on a kind of existential angst that seemed to match the mood of Britain today. Lee’s stage persona is at times self-deprecating as he reads about himself on Twitter (‘OMG saw Stewart Lee eating a burger. He looked fat and depressed and fat.’) and at other times, deranged in a way that hinted at his earlier work such as If You Prefer a Milder Comedian.
One of the highlights for me was one that was completely unexpected. Lee is describing the current trend for ‘sad comedy’ in which comedians use terrible events in their life as stand-up material. In the middle of this faux tale of woe about being adopted and having extremist Christians hound him, small pieces of pink paper – presumably from last month’s pantomime – drop from the ceiling, setting Lee off on a searing rant and proving just how adept he is at improvisation.
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube