On the opening night of the Leicester Comedy Festival, a smattering of empty seats can be seen as Stewart Lee takes to the stage of De Montfort Hall. The absentees do not go unnoticed.
The faux-embittered comedic juggernaut seems displeased that he failed to sell out the first of two Leicester dates and he is determined thereafter to make the audience, as well as himself, work for their night’s entertainment.
‘Content Provider’ didn’t need to be a challenge for anybody. When addressing the treasure trove of accessible material created by recent political happenings, Lee finds a way to simultaneously complain about the short lifespan of Brexit and Trump jokes, whilst also shaping parts of his show around them.
He expertly structures opening segments of each act in order to highlight the absurdity of both events and hold a mirror between them.
As has come to be expected, Lee’s relationship with the audience is suitably jagged.
He playfully challenges Leicestershire’s political leanings, questions their usage of Gary Lineker as a cultural figurehead and berates audience members attempting a stealth exit to the toilets.
He does however, earnestly provide local comedy fans with a recommendation, in the form of Paul Currie, who will appear at the Firebug this Saturday.
What sets ‘Content Provider’ apart from most of what you will see at the festival is the unique overarching theme.
With the help Caspar David Friedrich’s oil painting ‘Wanderer Above a Sea of Fog’, the show’s main objective is to explore our position within the chaos of digital consumerism.
He tackles social media, dating apps, instant gratification and even ‘Game Of Thrones’. It’s powerful, it’s pointed and it’s hilarious.
As he points out, Lee is now viewed as a spokesperson for the metropolitan liberal elite.
Many critics feel as though his main purpose is to massage the pre-existing ideas of his left-leaning audience.
A Stewart Lee show is engrossing, masterfully crafted and occasionally exhausting.
Much to the dismay of Lee’s on-stage persona, this left-leaning Leicester audience seem more than happy to receive the aforementioned massage and have their hard work rewarded in a big way.
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, 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
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk