Ok, so first things first: I absolutely love Stewart Lee. I am the absolute embodiment of the repeat, loyal audience member he talks about in every show. I’m the liberal-elite, muesli-munching, Remain-voting, over-educated, politically articulate lefty that he addresses every time.
Every time.
And I know that because he acknowledges us.
Every time.
While doing the same routine.
Every time.
He talks about how one part of the audience is “getting it”, while another mostly consists of people’s friends who’ve ended up here by mistake, and aren’t quite bright enough.
It’s funny, and it deservedly gets laughs. But I think this is the fourth time I’ve seen it and, to be honest, it sort of sours the beginning of the show for me.
Don’t get me wrong; what follows is typically brilliant. He tackles the problem of our absurd political dramas and the impossibility of generating relevant material quickly enough head on, and with characteristic wit.
There are, predictably, stand-out moments of true genius.
On the tricky subject of wondering who in his audience might help make up the 52% of Brexit voters he ponders the dangers of being glassed in the face in Lincoln by a man “…with the text of Amber Rudd’s immigration speech tattooed on his erect racist penis”.
He muses on how the modern trendy acceptance of S&M fits into our disposable culture; how in the thirties his grandparents whittled gimp masks from potato sacks, but they meant so much more than a bit of kinky kit from Amazon.
Lee talks about his inability to sell out and go on panel shows on Sky, not just because he’d hate it, but the character he’s created would hate it even more. “I’d love to go on Sky!” he bemoans. “I hate Stewart Lee! And I hate this meta-textual, self-referential s**t”.
When I talk about recycling content, I’m most definitely not talking about the ingeniously clever re-use of the same phrase at the beginning of the first half when talking about Brexit, and then at the beginning of the second when discussing Trump. And I’m definitely not referring to standing on stage and repeating the same line over and over which, as you will see, I adore.
Lee is often scathing about other, lighter, comedians with populist appeal. This is interesting because, though he is certainly in character to some extent, it’s also self-evidently true that nothing in Live at the Apollo comes even remotely close to matching the brilliance of any of Stewart Lee’s material. However I think he gets away with it, and here’s why.
Stewart Lee is, as he regularly reminds us, getting older. Not only does this mean that he’s actually quite good at this by now, his age also frees him from the self-aware longing to be cool of a younger comedian. Lee is deeply silly.
Nowhere is this all summed up better than a five-minute routine in which all he does is stand on stage aping the earnest voice of an imagined young comedian saying “Uh Mate, what’re you having a go at Russell Howard for mate?” over and over and over again. His voice is actually quite close to those he is mocking, but nevertheless descends into utterly ridiculous clowning.
This, for me, is where Stewart Lee really shines. He is unafraid to make a fool of himself. He is confident enough to know when to simply stand on stage pulling a face, making silly noises, and, crucially, understands when the audience will go with him. This is a beautiful moment, that can only work with a live audience present.
It feels churlish to damn such excellence with faint praise, but really, why recycle so much material? The show wouldn’t be any worse for being ten minutes shorter. If you’ve never seen Stewart Lee before then please, please do. He really is a five-star act. But for me, I’d have been content provided Stewart Lee had provided more of the original content.
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, 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
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter