Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool: Eastern poetry, mushrooms and Schoenberg’s composition classes emerged as recurring themes in Lee’s randomly ordered readings from John Cage’s anthology
Comedian, Observer commentator and experimental-music fan Stewart Lee has a great line about the branch of Nando’s that displaced his favourite jazz club: “They ought to introduce a new menu which, through improvisation and chance procedure, redefines the parameters of what chicken could be.”
His current project uses improvisation and chance procedure to redefine what a standup gig might become. In truth, it’s not a standup show at all, given that Lee is seated and reading from a script – not his own, but John Cage’s anthology of short stories, epigrams and mini-essays which the composer recorded in 1959 while his regular collaborator, David Tudor, performed improvised music in another room.
The minute-long readings, shuffled and read out in random order, produce an effect similar to riffling through the card index system of Cage’s subconscious. Recurrent themes that emerged from this performance included musings on eastern poetry, Cage’s scientific interest in mushrooms and recollections of Schoenberg’s composition classes at UCLA, including a great piece of advice conveyed to a struggling young pianist that the key to playing a Beethoven sonata without mistakes is to avoid making any.
With the 60-second duration of each reading dictated by a stopwatch, Lee’s delivery ranged from Pinteresque ponderousness to racing-commentator gabble; while the experienced Cage authorities and improvisers Tania Chen and Steve Beresford provided an entirely unrelated accompaniment using a prepared piano, a pair of Stylophones and bright, plastic laptops designed to teach children to spell. Some of Beresford’s more alarming interjections might have been taken for signals to evacuate the building; as for the likelihood of jazz chicken appearing at Nando’s, John Cage was once spotted in the Huddersfield branch of Pizza Hut, so stranger things have occurred.
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, 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
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk