Stewart Lee’s style of comedy – using repetition, sarcasm, irony and a drawn out self analysis – has been much emulated by the latest set of new comic acts trying to break through on the circuit, much to his chagrin.
He has famously mocked Michael McIntyre and his ilk, and spoken out about the ‘stealing’ of his style more recently forcing him to change it (something he does each year anyway) to something more difficult to aspire to. He mocks his own success at the start of the show, complaining how winning an award this year and his success on the TV has attracted a new Johnny-come-lately audience he just can’t be doing with.
And the friendly beligerance peeks through. Stewart Lee has returned snappier, more pacy, cramming in more laughs per minute, subverting the form more than ever and bringing the deconstruction of comedy to the masses, alternately scolding and praising them for their reactions like a manipulated partner or dog.
It was positively thrilling to see him have so much fun baiting the forms of mainstrream comedy. Using the full length and space of the stage, running, shouting, dropping into a bi-lingual segment – all the time pairing the simple and the complex, knitting the high brow and the low brow, delivering what has been demanded and then deconstructing it to point out why his original call not to take that path would have been better. All of it hilarious.
Lee truly seemed to have heaps of fun with this show, almost corpsing at times. Declaring a void of structure, then exposing that structure, then deconstructing that structure with added asides to the wings, all skipping along at a definite speed and perfectly timed. This pretender misanthrope has concentrated his formula, stretched it and then encoded it with a magic formula to bamboozle the pretenders and deliver his best show in years.
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk