A connoisseurs’ double act … Stewart Lee and Richard Herring. Photograph: Murdo Macleod
“This may be the last time you see Lee and Herring perform together,” says Richard Herring, hyping up this one-off reunion gig. I hope not: they’re a connoisseurs’ double act. Stewart Lee may contend that time has run out on the now well-fed duo because their appeal “was predicated on the contrast between a thin man and a fat man”, but they have complementary qualities that survive the ravages of middle age – Herring’s puerility to Lee’s sophistication; Herring’s puppyishness to Lee’s cool – and they share a forensic skill at deconstructing comedy, even while ruthlessly mastering it.
Ironic then that, as Herring laments, they had less prime-time success than their contemporaries. (Armstrong and Miller’s prominence particularly grates.)
This gig reassembles the team behind late-1990s BBC2 show This Morning with Richard Not Judy. Standup Trevor Lock pitches in a droll, rambling set, and Emma Kennedy performs kids’ TV themes with her band Vaginal Tap. Lee and Herring giggle through several old sketches, updated clumsily. Herring can no longer claim, for example, to have gone three years without a serious relationship. It’s 16 years now.
Both comics perform solo sets, too, which cast new light on the old material. It’s curious to watch Lee parrot catchphrases such as “moon on a stick” from yesteryear after his earlier attack on the rudimentary mechanics of American standup. Herring’s set is all extreme sex, so when he reprises TV routines about coupling with owls, it feels like too much of a filthy thing.
But some vintage skits still sparkle, and the pair’s plan to phone Jonathan Ross and boast of having sex with his dead granddad (“let’s get ourselves suspended back on to TV!”) is hilariously desperate.
Here’s hoping this joyful comeback is the first last-ever gig among many.
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter