To anyone who hasn’t been to one of Stewart Lee’s shows before it’s worth pointing out that in his stand up Lee plays an amped up version of himself that is more bitter, angry and insufferably woke than he is in person, and in the process he often berates and taunts the audience. Tonight is no exception as he kicks thing off by threatening to do hilariously unspeakable things to any mobile phones he finds in use during the performance.
An angry and energetic Lee then does some searing material on Brexit, pouring a big bowl of scorn on those who claim they voted leave for reasons not motivated by racism: “We only wanted bendy bananas, and now here we are in a chaotic furnace of hate!” His greatest disdain, though, is reserved for the Machiavellian right-wing power couple, Michael Gove and Sarah Vine who he describes as “Neil and Christine Hamilton for the 2 Girls 1 Cup generation”.
A power struggle then begins between Lee and the two stern faced ushers flanking either side of the stage. Lee insists that they sit down as A) they’re making it difficult for the audience to laugh B) there are plenty of seats in the auditorium which is the worst selling night of the tour. When he learns that they are actually security guards he seems bemused. “What for? There’s so few of you that I could fight you all myself!”
The second half brings some Trump gags that precisely mirror the Brexit material from the first half. One idiot in the audience, not getting that this is a ruse pointing the similar motives behind the result in Brexit and the US election, bellows out the punchlines before they land. An exasperated Lee declares “You’re the kind of bloke who goes to see Othello and shouts, ‘Don’t get jealous mate. She’s not been unfaithful to you!’”
The show ends with a high brow visual gag incorporating a Romanticism era painting, Mr Lee in period costume and a selfie stick. It’s been a great night of comedy and Lee’s hit ratio, at least for me, has been pretty high as I’ve laughed hard and long. I head out to the merch stall to buy one of Lee’s books and wait to see if Stewart will be out to sign it. He doesn’t appear. Perhaps he’s scared of the security guards.
87% Summary A disappointing turnout and some peculiar behaviour from the venue security staff did little to rankle an angry and energetic Lee, who’s hit ratio was on point.
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, 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
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com