He spent a lot of the first half of his show Content Provider, which is nearing the end of its 18- month tour, lamenting the fact that only a small section of the audience got his jokes, the venue was half empty, and he got a better reception in King’s Lynn.
While he may not have got as big a laugh for some of the jokes as expected, which resulted in him painstakingly dissecting it to explain its intended humour, this grumpy demeanour is all part of the act.
With his material ranging from Brexit and Game of Thrones to bondage in the 1930s and annoying under 40s who drink yogurts from pouches for breakfast, it was varied, original and clever.
Whereas the first half felt like a diatribe against the world, including us fans, with plenty of ad-libbing, the second part felt calmer and more storytelling in its nature, less bothered about how much laugh each joke received.
However the reason he wins so many industry accolades is that it is very much crafted – as if his shows are presented for a study on how comedy should be done.
There are few comedians this gifted on the circuit, so please come back to Ipswich again. Your like-minded out of touch metropolitan liberal elite need you.
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
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Mearecate, Youtube
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Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
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A D Ward, Twitter
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Chez, Chortle.com
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Peter Ould, Twitter
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Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
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Meninblack, Twitter
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Guest1001, Youtube
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Anamatronix, Youtube
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Peter Fears, Twitter
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12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
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Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
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Jackmumf, Twitter
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Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
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Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
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98rosjon, Twitter
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Aiden Hearn, Twitter
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Foxfoxton, Youtube
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Cyberbloke, Twitter
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John Robins, Comedian
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Joycey, readytogo.net
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Z-factor, Twitter.
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Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
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Kozzy06, Youtube
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Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
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Slothy Matt, Twitter
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Liam Travitt, Twitter
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Funday’schild, youtube.
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Rudeness, Youtube
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Danazawa, Youtube
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Borathigh5, Youtube
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Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
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DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
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Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
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Rubyshoes, Twitter
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Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
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Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
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Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
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Gwaites, Digitalspy
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Contrapuntal, Twitter
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Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
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Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
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Sidsings000, Youtube
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Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
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Frankie Boyle, Comedian
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Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
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Fowkes81, Twitter
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Anon, westhamonline.com
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Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
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Shit Crit, Twitter
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Stokeylitfest, Twitter
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Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
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FBC, finalgear.com
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Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
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Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
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Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
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Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
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Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
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Hiewy, Youtube
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
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Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
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Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
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Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
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Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
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Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube