With his award-winning BBC TV series being cancelled and the BBC’s funding instead ploughed into a remake of Are you being served (well, according to this showanyway), Stewart Lee has returned to his roots and thrown himself into a punishing tour schedule starting in June 2016 taking him all the way through to April 2018.
While the title Content Provider was chosen to reflect the key theme of the show – an embittered late forty-something liberal pouring scorn and vitriol on an increasingly fragmented and “digital” world – the timing ensured that Brexit and Trump would inevitably get a mention.
Much has been made in the press, and by Lee himself, about people walking out of this show. And, sure enough, within moments of arriving on stage in Cambridge, Lee launched into an expletive-ridden tirade against Brexit supporters which some might find offensive but Lee was clearly among friends here in remain-majority Cambridge. In fact, anyone daring to even leave their seat mid performance prompted such a personal verbal assault from Lee that I’m sure many thought twice about even visiting the bathroom let alone walking out.
While Stewart Lee is described as “the comedian’s comedian” he is quite unlike any other stand-up today. Though his main routine consists of a venomous attack on a whole number of topics: Game of Thrones, politics, trip advisor reviewers, people under 40, other stand-up comedians, he adds a witty additional layer which gives the audience a narrative on the show itself, making the true target Lee himself.
Indeed, it’s the continual moving in and out of the show’s main routine, and the commentary about the show itself and what is happening in the moment (mainly from audience interaction), that requires a greater level of concentration and commitment from the audience.
He divides the audience into those who “get it” and those who don’t, knowing that each member will consider themselves one of the wise. This makes it a far more involving and ultimately entertaining night out than a normal evening of comedy.
Ironically, while he lays into other comedians for their on-stage personae, it was Lee’s physical comedy, such as his demonstration of people under 40’s relationship with their mobile phones, which achieved some of the biggest laughs of the evening.
Lee is clearly the most intelligent stand-up and wittiest wordsmith of his generation, and had the very audience that he had spent most of the evening attacking, eating out the palm of his hand. He is provocative to the max. But had me literally crying with laughter at various points in the 90 minute show, and the fact that I couldn’t tell what was improv and what was routine. Dying to see it again.
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian