If there is anyone I see on TV who makes me laugh on a panel show, I can probably snap up a cheap DVD (maybe for 1p?) of them. But there are two comedians I have always wanted to see live. One was Richard Herring and the other Stewart Lee. They were a great comedy pairing, but arguably funnier apart. And 18 months ago I was due to see Herring at the Hawth Theatre, Crawley. But due to a late invite to a wedding the tickets had to go to a grateful recipient.
If there is anyone I see on TV who makes me laugh on a panel show, I can probably snap up a cheap DVD (maybe for 1p?) of them. But there are two comedians I have always wanted to see live. One was Richard Herring and the other Stewart Lee. They were a great comedy pairing, but arguably funnier apart. And 18 months ago I was due to see Herring at the Hawth Theatre, Crawley. But due to a late invite to a wedding the tickets had to go to a grateful recipient.
But luckily no such invite came my way for Friday, October 13 so I did not have to resent anyone and I got to enjoy Lee – one of Britain’s most critically-acclaimed stand-ups. Lee originally wanted his show Content Provider to be based around a 19th-century painting – Caspar David Friedrich’s Wanderer Above The Sea of Fog – but ‘then Brexit happened’. The first half of the show at the Hawth – which Lee was keen to point out was the venue with the most unsold tickets – is mainly about Brexit and Lee enjoys directing his comedy at ‘the metropolitan liberal elite’ in Crawley – we voted Leave remember.
The second half starts in a very clever way (same syntax, different proper nouns) and Lee’s views on David Cameron, Nigel Farage, Gary Lineker, Russell Howard, Donald Trump, East Grinstead, bendy bananas, vegetable spiralisers and the under-40s had the audience in roars of laughter.
But the real joy came when the audience did not get a joke – watching Lee point out the audiences’ inadequacies is a wonderful thing. Lee mentioned the death of Tommy Cooper and said he wouldn’t mind dying like that – but not in Crawley.
And he certainly didn’t die on stage tonight – he left the crowd, even the Friends of the Hawth, buzzing.
See this show if you can.
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
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Robert Gavin, Twitter
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Anamatronix, Youtube
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General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
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Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
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Clampdown59, Twitter.
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
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Liam Travitt, Twitter
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Etienne, Chortle.com
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Cyberbloke, Twitter
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Joe, Independent.co.uk
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Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
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Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
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Joycey, readytogo.net
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Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
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Stokeylitfest, Twitter
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Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
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GRTak, finalgear.com
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Secretdeveloper, Youtube
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Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
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Pnethor, pne-online.com
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Peter Ould, Twitter
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Contrapuntal, Twitter
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Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
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Gwaites, Digitalspy
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Foxfoxton, Youtube
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A D Ward, Twitter
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Visualiser1, Twitter
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Mearecate, Youtube
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Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
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Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
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Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
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Meninblack, Twitter
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Sidsings000, Youtube
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Guest1001, Youtube
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Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
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Iain, eatenbymissionaries
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Sam Rooney, Youtube
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Shit Crit, Twitter
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Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
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Anon, BBC Complaints Log
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Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
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Leach Juice, Twitter
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Aaron, comedy.co.uk
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Peter Ould, Youtube
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John Robins, Comedian
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
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Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
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Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
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Fowkes81, Twitter
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Tin Frog, Twitter
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Al Murray, Comedian
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Hiewy, Youtube
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Aiden Hearn, Twitter
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Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
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Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
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Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
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Idrie, Youtube
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Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
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Lents, redandwhitekop.com
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Danazawa, Youtube
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Wharto15, Twitter
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Rudeness, Youtube
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Z-factor, Twitter.
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Funday’schild, youtube.
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Jackmumf, Twitter
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DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
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Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
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Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
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Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
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Anon, westhamonline.com
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
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Slothy Matt, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
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Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
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Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
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Kozzy06, Youtube
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Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
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Dick Socrates, Twitter
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube