Brexit and Trump now loom over culturally engaged comedy, where behind-the-curve jokes can be easily exposed. Stewart Lee – just as his wife, Bridget Christie, did in Edinburgh this year – begins by complaining that his new show, Content Provider, has been derailed by the EU vote. The original idea was to explore, with reference to Caspar David Friedrich’s painting Wanderer Above a Sea of Fog, atomised man in the era of digital consumerism. Which Lee duly does, but the concept feels diluted now – rendered peripheral, indeed – by his material on 2016’s two great political cataclysms, which kickstarts each act.
The concept is muddied then, but there remains a great deal in Content Provider to enjoy. After the axing of BBC2’s Comedy Vehicle, Lee is no longer compelled to frame his live work as a dummy run for the TV show, and he can focus on delivering excellent live standup. Tonight’s offering fits the bill, as the almost 50-year-old “ex-TV comic” purports to reassess his place in the world. “I’m coming to despise the character of Stewart Lee,” he tells us at one point, and there are intriguing hints that, for once, that utterance might contain a shred of the truth. Not to begin with, though. Lee’s opening Brexit routine pitches us into trademark Stewart Lee territory, as he double bluffs his scorn for Leave voters and questions his own role within “the metropolitan liberal elite”. (On which pertinent subject, it would be fascinating to hear more.) A new UK landscape comes into being, he tells us: one great Tolkien wasteland studded with walled citadels where “wizards, poets and people who understand data” live. As ever, Lee oozes superiority, whether quoting his own newspaper columns (“I believe it was I who once said …”) or mocking the BBC’s remake of out-of-time sitcom Are You Being Served? By this stage, he’s back on track with the original show, bemoaning his fall from TV grace, reduced, in one pleasingly beady routine, to buying his own DVDs online and selling them on at a paltry profit. The second half unfolds Lee’s most concentrated setpiece, a characteristically twisty routine about bondage practices in years gone by. On one level, it’s a rude joke about our grandparents’ generation improvising DIY S&M. On multiple others, it’s mocking Lee’s hated under-40s, to whom everything – even kinky sex – comes easily packaged as just another meaningless artefact in the consumerist marketplace. This argument climaxes in a broadside against generational narcissism that, by Lee’s standards, seems unusually straightforward. At such moments – and assuming no irony is intended in the famously navel-gazing Lee critiquing self-absorption – the dense archness of “the character of Stewart Lee” dilutes. At others, it persists, but more cosily than in the past, as a game we all – Lee and his audience – enjoy playing together. It’s certainly enjoyable tonight. Lee is at ease, having fun, totally in control of his complex, supercilious/resentful register. But, as a satisfying visual gag brings his lament for the selfie generation to its conclusion, the sense lingers that Brexit and Trump (and his material on them) have devalued the currency of Lee’s original concept. We’re left with a show that pulls in different directions. But if its parts are ill-fitting, they’re also frequently brilliant.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube