The axing of his Comedy Vehicle TV series might rankle with Stewart Lee – particularly when the BBC can find the money to remake Are You Being Served – but has probably been a blessing in disguise for the country’s most original comedian.
He might have been forced to develop new avenues to rustle up a few quid – he claims to buys his own DVDs online to sell at shows at a mark-up – but his live act has been freed of the shackles of building 30-minute routines for the telly, and is more rewarding as a result.
The passive-aggressive lecturer persona and deadpan delivery of his apparent alter ego remain intact, but the cleverly-constructed show – which as usual Lee deconstructed at regular intervals, supposedly for the benefit of slower audience members – enabled him to develop a theme, run with it, stumble with it, explain it, discard it and brilliantly return to it over the course of a hugely entertaining two hours.
The theme was man’s place in a world of superficial digital consumerism, and pitched Lee as a hero attempting to rise above the chaos like the ‘Wanderer Above The Sea Of Fog’ in Caspar David Friedrich’s famous painting. Russell Howard this most definitely was not.
Howard was one of many comics trampled on, verbally and literally – in the form of DVDs strewn across the stage – during the show, which also saw Lee stomping on everything from Trump, Brexit, Boris and Farage to Game of Thrones (“Peter Stringfellow’s Lord of the Rings”), the under-40s and even Deacon Blue as he desperately searched for something of depth in a world dominated by the banality of social media and instant gratification.
It was never going to happen of course – the Content Provider of the show’s title admitting we were witnessing little more than “the ongoing interrogation of a divided soul” – but his self-anointed “metropolitan liberal elite” audience were more than happy to be along for the grilling (in every sense), which was as smart as it was hilarious.
Reviewed by Steve Adams at Warwick Arts Centre
4 Stars on Thu, 04 May 2017
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, 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
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter