Stewart Lee is undoubtedly one of our finest comedians despite his standing outside of the comedy mainstream. Long time fan Dave Griffiths gave us the following review of one of his recent shows.
Like a magician who reveals his tricks, I thought Lee’s book (How I Escaped My Certain Fate) about his stand-up routines and the fact and fiction in them would lessen the impact of future shows.
Not at all – it makes him even more intriguing. For example, the show was being filmed and we were told if we nipped out while he was on, we wouldn’t be allowed back in. Lee started a tale about his dad the cardboard salesman and a woman walked out. He used her exit in his patter, dropping the story about his dad, and the woman came back in 30 seconds later.
Was she a plant? Did his dad really sell cardboard?
Lee later explained that certain bits of the show were true and some made up. But even then you were in doubt. He kept reviewing parts of the show and never made it easy for himself – ‘grumpily’ and ‘patronisingly’ spurning new fans, ‘agonising’ over easy laughs, saying the show was ‘about nothing’, doing a politics section with daft references to Scooby Doo, and mocking the trendy young comedians – ‘the Russells’ (I think he was really mocking them).
According to Lee, people in the stalls were his real fans while people in the balconies only came because he was on TV. Another clever move which made the stallees feel good and the balconites wishing they were in with the in crowd.
All this works because he has great presence and calm authority – something I particularly remember when I first saw him 20 years ago – as well as superb timing and delivery, and a hilarious, deadpan face. He may be desperate to escape the ‘traditional’ ways of making people laugh but he uses all the techniques of the great comedians.
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, 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
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter