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.
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter