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.
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, 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
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk