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