In Komedia’s laidback underground North Laine lair, tables on the stage were covered in toys. A child’s Speak & Spell, modified stylophones, a Barbie strapped to a sitar and a biscuit tin, just a few of the curios on display, were a colourful aesthetic introduction to the Conspirators of Pleasure.
Promising to introduce us to the pioneering, avante-garde ideas surrounding John Cage’s musicology, particularly the concept of Indeterminacy – random interpretations of a performance piece according to the performer’s mood, or indeed an audience’s, or an instrument’s – Poulomi Desai, Seth Aayaz and Simon Underwood set about confusing the living s*** out of some people, who had come expressly to see famous comedian Stewart Lee.
The handful of audience members who, by the second half, hadn’t worked out that Lee wasn’t here in comedic but in experimental music boffin form, with their (ironic) determination to laugh doggedly at any pause in Lee’s poetic phrasing, mistaking it for comic timing, meant that unfortunately, Cage’s original ideas were largely lost in translation – but for one thing; it happened, however excruciating.
It was still a philosophical event of some description, even if that description involved the words “car” and “crash”. Erudite performance, deeply uncomfortable listening.
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
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Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
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Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
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Rubyshoes, Twitter
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DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
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Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
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Keilloh, Twitter
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Iain, eatenbymissionaries
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Cyberbloke, Twitter
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Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
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Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
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Anamatronix, Youtube
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Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
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James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
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Joe, Independent.co.uk
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Gwaites, Digitalspy
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Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
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Dick Socrates, Twitter
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Peter Fears, Twitter
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Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
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Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
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Fowkes81, Twitter
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GRTak, finalgear.com
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Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
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Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
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Visualiser1, Twitter
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Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
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Guest1001, Youtube
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Aiden Hearn, Twitter
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Leach Juice, Twitter
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Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
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Microcuts 22, Twitter
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Bosco239, youtube
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Gabrielle, Chortle.com
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Danazawa, Youtube
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Tin Frog, Twitter
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Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
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Clampdown59, Twitter.
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Borathigh5, Youtube
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Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
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Pnethor, pne-online.com
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Contrapuntal, Twitter
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Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
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Secretdeveloper, Youtube
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Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
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Al Murray, Comedian
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Tokyofist, Youtube
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Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
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Shit Crit, Twitter
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John Robins, Comedian
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Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
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Idrie, Youtube
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Aaron, comedy.co.uk
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Stokeylitfest, Twitter
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Zombie Hamster, Twitter
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Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
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Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
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Kozzy06, Youtube
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Sweeping Curves, Twitter
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Anon, BBC Complaints Log
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Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
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Birmingham Sunday Mercury
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Jamespearse, Twitter
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Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
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World Without End, Twitter
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Foxfoxton, Youtube
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Z-factor, Twitter.
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Carcrazychica, Youtube
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Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
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12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
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Peter Ould, Youtube
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Peter Ould, Twitter
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Funday’schild, youtube.
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Brighton Argus
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FBC, finalgear.com
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Robert Gavin, Twitter
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Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
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Mearecate, Youtube
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Frankie Boyle, Comedian
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Anon, westhamonline.com
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Richard Herring, Comedian
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Joycey, readytogo.net
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Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
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Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
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Horatio Melvin, Twitter
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Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
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Tres Ryan, Twitter
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Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
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Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
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Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
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Sidsings000, Youtube
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Jackmumf, Twitter
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Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
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Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
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Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
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Mrdavisn01, Twitter
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Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
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Emilyistrendy, Youtube
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Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
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Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
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Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
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Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
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Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
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Hiewy, Youtube
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
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Len Firewood, Twitter
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Mini-x2, readytogo.net
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Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
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Chez, Chortle.com
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Mpf1947, Youtube
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Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
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Liam Travitt, Twitter
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Meninblack, Twitter
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NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
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Pudabaya, Twitter
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General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
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Etienne, Chortle.com
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A D Ward, Twitter
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Stuart, Chortle
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Sam Rooney, Youtube
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Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
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Wharto15, Twitter
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Slothy Matt, Twitter
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Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
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Lents, redandwhitekop.com
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Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
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Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com