Comedian Stewart Lee favoured the Watford Colosseum with the debut of his new tour Stewart Lee: Digital Content Provider last Tuesday night but after railing at the audience for not laughing in all the right places he told us not to come to his show if we ‘didn’t know anything’.
But what does the acclaimed stand up know about our town?
His opening gambit was to say Watford lay outside the M25 and later in a blisteringly funny sequence about people under the age of 37, he went off on one about Game of Thrones but failed to reference the fact that Watford’s own Kings Langley once changed its name to King’s Landing in honour of the cult fantasy series?
Don’t you know anything about Watford Stewart Lee? Well actually he did refer to Pavarotti having once used the auditorium toilets but I suspect that was pre-refurb so they might not even be the same cubicles where the renowned opera singer relieved himself.
Don’t come to Watford Stew if you don’t know anything about Watford…
What Stewart Lee does know, however is how to perfectly hone a night of satire, political discourse, insightful social comment and downright silliness in two 45-minute segments packed full of information.
You will find out how people enjoyed bondage back in the 1930s, you’ll discover the folly of the selfie-obsessed and reel with belly laughs at the retail value of DVDs made by household name comics.
Stewart is on to this though and has a scheme where he buys back his DVDs to sell for profit, hence when I made it into the queue at the end I asked him to sign my copy to Stewart Lee from Stewart Lee in the hope of boosting his profits.
Still as he continues to hone material of this original and prophetic quality I don’t think he’s in any danger of being out of work.
Five stars
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, 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
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter