To be a Stewart Lee fan is to accept that banal jokes about marriage/family life/ other aspects of the everyday are simply not going to happen. Instead, viewers are mentally transported to a comedic plain in which there is no secure footing, where apparently familiar subjects are turned on their heads and even the audience’s appreciation of the performance comes under close scrutiny.
I’m a big fan of Lee’s brand of metatextual humour, so I was very keen to catch his latest show (the tour’s second visit to Northampton) at the Royal & Derngate.
A trait in Lee’s work is to make audience members a source of mockery, deriding their ability to process his layered and clever jokes. Theatre-goers really came under the verbal hammer yesterday (THURSDAY) evening as Lee delivered his material, repeatedly stopping to condescendingly explain his statements to the watching crowd.
This doesn’t sound like the recipe for a fun night out but the result is hilarious as, despite the torrent of deliberately exaggerated abuse faced by the audience, there is also a sense that Stewart’s increasing frustration with himself and the world around him is the actual butt of the joke. He even, at one point, states that he is coming to despise the character of Stewart Lee.
As ever, Lee’s performance was entertaining from start to finish. Without giving away too much about the content, his eclectic array of subjects ranged from brexit and Trump to Caspar David Friedrich’s painting Wanderer Above a Sea of Fog, and the culture of selfies and digital consumerism.
The comedy is enjoyable but always a little uncomfortable because, mocking though it may be, there is always a truth at its heart which makes viewers keep thinking and analysing what they have seen – long after the show has finished.
Visit www.stewartlee.co.uk for further performances.
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, 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
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter