Either Stewart Lee was attempting a biting social satire of property developer culture or something more sinister in Interiors. Unfortunately he doesn’t manage either.
The main misjudgment in this blackly comic theatre-cum-performance art attempt is casting Johnny Vegas in the role of Jeffrey Parkin, the trouble shooter-turned-Montenegro property developer, whose beloved semi-detached home we are being shown around.
Vegas does a mean line in put-upon losers, and Parkin, naive, pretentious and desperately trying to sell up for a new life, is certainly that.
But having the shambolic St Helens comic uttering self-conscious gags about middle-class preoccupations with organic tea and MDF is akin to watching Germaine Greer in the Big Brother house: weird and unconvincing.
You can’t fault the ambition however. There are fleeting moments of pathos-driven darkness (one in particular cruelly interrupted with a question about council tax from an over-zealous audience member).
The Victorian house with its ‘original features’ is a fine vehicle for Parkin’s story, and unopened post and photos on the fridge all add to the voyeurism and discomfort.
But, unusually for Lee, the writing is stilted and the acting is without real conviction. In fact, unless you’re going along in buyer capacity, Interiors is an unholy waste of £25.
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk