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.
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, 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
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Dan McCaid, Twitter
Dan McCaid, Twitter
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Herald Scotland.
Herald Scotland.
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
XPIJONpsY, Twitter
XPIJONpsY, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Spursguy, Youtube
Spursguy, Youtube
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Zoot Cadillac, Twitter
Zoot Cadillac, Twitter
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk