AS he reminded us during his latest beautifully structured show – the depressingly titled Carpet Remnant World – Stewart Lee has been a stand-up for a quarter of a century.
During that time his popularity has waxed and waned, although thanks to recent award winning BBC series Stewart Lee’s Comedy Vehicle, the 43 year old is once again filling theatres across the UK.
Lee’s appeal becomes the focus for much of the first half of this set. The comic clearly enjoys playing to loyal fans who ‘get’ his style of humour, and his constant disappointment with sections of the Playhouse crowd who weren’t ‘his fans’ was a theme throughout.
It would be fair to say that people new to Lee’s unique brand of stand-up might not know what to make of it. He’s clearly not a populist comic and from his lack of restraint when criticising the current brand of stand ups (or ‘the young Russells’ as he calls them) has no desire to be.
Mostly carefully scripted – a segment about Nottingham’s new identity as the ‘City of Caves’ notwithstanding – Lee’s shows are always carefully choreographed with a clever use of deconstruction and call backs.
Indeed, he even sometimes links the two techniques, such as when he feels he had to explain a particularly clever call back made in a foreign language.
And, no subject is off limits in a Lee show. His material this time touched on Islam, odd shop names, Scooby Doo, Margaret Thatcher and Twitter, with much of his ire reserved for the social networking site – or ‘the Stasi for the Angry Birds generation’ as he calls it.
A Stewart Lee show is the standard to which all stand-up comics should aspire. Long may he return to the City Riddled with Caves
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk