How would an audience usually react to a comedian who started the first and second half of his set with the same jokes, with just a couple of nouns changed here and there?
If the comedian in question is Stewart Lee they’ll lap it up – and find it funnier second time around. That’s because the use of repetition is just one of the many comic techniques Lee has long been a master of. He’ll also let the audience in on the joke, get them thinking of the punchline and laughing in advance, then get an extra, bigger laugh when, after much anticipation, he finally delivers it. He’ll analyse the joke after telling it, then you’ll realise the analysis was another joke and laugh at that, too.
That the nouns I mentioned earlier included Brexit, Boris Johnson and Donald Trump wouldn’t have come as a great surprise to the ‘centre-left liberal metropolitan elites’ Lee identifies as his core fan base. But the Content Provider show has more profound targets in its sights than the political ructions of the past 18 months, using references as diverse as 19th century art, dating apps and potato sacks to make a statement on how the human condition has been changed by our living so much of our lives online.
The audience find themselves first in the firing line for Lee’s withering but hilarious attacks. Starting with a warning about the unspeakable fate facing any smartphone whipped out during the show, audience members who don’t laugh in the right place or aren’t sitting properly are taken to task. Even the venue – the ‘Colston Museum of Slavery’ – can’t escape.
Fellow stand-ups also come a cropper, with Bristol’s own Russell Howard, not for the first time, foremost among them. Lee’s attack on Howard provided a launch pad for a full-on and hilarious tirade against anyone aged under 40, in turn leading us on to the set’s main theme, via Game of Thrones, gimp masks and yoghurt.
Lee is never backwards about making himself the butt of his jokes and makes several at his own expense during the show. So when his trousers fell down, during a vigorous and manic demonstration of smartphone poking, it was hard to work out whether it was supposed to happen or just an accident he was happy to let run as the laughs got ever louder.
Afterwards I managed to ask him, as he signed DVDs and books in the foyer, and it turned out that an accident it was, brought on by losing some weight but not (he thought) enough to make it worth wearing a belt. Perhaps I should have realised by now that slapstick isn’t usually part of Lee’s act – but when comedy has this many layers, should you ever assume something isn’t just all part of the show?
Fans who missed out on tickets for Stewart Lee’s Colston Hall shows on Sunday and Monday will have another chance to see him on March 1 next year at the same venue. Tickets are on sale now at the Colston Hall website.
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter