He might need the time off to calm down. From the outset he was in typically intolerant mode, warning that if he saw any phones turned on they will be smashed “and you can take it up with the police”. He did not carry out his threat but he did briefly wade into the stalls to give someone a mean stare.
This is a show packed with magnificent jokes at the expense of Brexit, Trump, the sex in Game Of Thrones (“Peter Stringfellow’s Lord Of The Rings”) and much more. There is also some self-indulgent guff where he dissects his ongoing routines, though it is very entertaining self-indulgent guff.
He generated considerable mileage out of mocking his membership of the metropolitan liberal elite, N16 branch, too. But as the monologue moved into the second half a deeper theme developed as he yearned for a simpler, less narcissistic, pre-instant gratification age. In his grandparents’ day, he noted, people had to walk miles to find bondage outfits, now they can just click on Amazon.
There is nothing new about creating an exaggerated version of oneself for humorous effect, yet the road-hardened veteran has made this style his own. Every idea is pushed to the limit, from his impression of under-forties on their smartphones, bashing the screens like apes, to adopting an absurd bow-legged stance to satirise fellow stand-up Russell Howard. The result is both intellectually ambitious and clownishly jocular. The comedy world will be a less funny place without this performer at the top of his game.
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, 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
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph