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Content Provider (The Show)Stewart Lee opens Bristol comedy festival with anti-Brexit rally

By M_Ribbeck in Bristol Post Posted on Wednesday, June 29th, 2016

We are living in strange times in the country and it really does feel like we are going through a historical moment in history.

As Bristol’s first night of the annual Comedy Garden festival got under way a demonstration was taking place in the wind and the rain just a couple of hundred yards away.

We are not quite at the stage of manning the barricades but it really does feel that politics actually means something and has got people talking.

Stewart Lee might not be one of the biggest names on the comedy circuit but he has a devoted following and never has problems selling out major venues whenever he tours.

He has a loyal fan base and everyone who turns up for one of his shows. His rancorous – almost spiteful outlook – is very much of the left and he is not one to hold back the punches when he goes on the attack.

Lee was the last comedian to take to the stage last night on a bill that also included Josie Long, James Acaster and Tony Law. Josie Long was compering and it felt like it was virtually impossible not to bow to the inevitable.

Of course, the comics were always going to be preaching to the converted but there was a real sense of anger and frustration in the room.

Anyone who put their cross in the exit box must have been sitting pretty uncomfortably last night as jokes at the expense of the leave campaign were met with roars of approval.

James Acaster was up second and although just as left wing his style was a lot less confrontational. His lengthy comparison between a cup of mint tea and the vote bought the house down.

Next up was Tony Law who’s act is almost impossible to describe. It was the most surreal and the least political. And then came the star of the show who walked on to stage to rapturous applause.

The man who everyone came to see was clearly trying out new material and the first quarter of the set was a referendum rant.

But Stewart Lee can do anything he wants as far as his audience is concerned and they lapped every minute of his set.

Josie long came back on stage to close proceedings and the whole event turned into something of an anti-Brexit rally.

The clearly emotional comedian got the biggest cheer of the night with what amounted to a political rallying cry.

Written by M_Ribbeck in Bristol Post on 29th June 2016. Filed Under: Content Provider (Show), Reviews
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