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