Stewart Lee’s stock, as a solo performer at least, has arguably never been higher. Since his partnership with Richard Herring in the 1990s – with hit shows Fist of Fun and This Morning With Richard Not Judy on the small screen, and several other writing credits – Lee has consistently produced engaging, thought-provoking and above all hilarious stand-up shows.
Recently finding himself back on TV with the prosaically (yet endearingly so) titled Stewart Lee’s Comedy Vehicle, Lee has now graduated to larger venues, being moved to the Butterworth Hall, though he bemoaned the echo-laden acoustics due to the fact that the hall was only two-thirds full. Nevertheless, the audience was in store for a real comedic treat.
Before Lee’s headline slot, he introduced support from Tony Law, a Canadian stand-up who merged surrealism with a bristling intelligence. Tales of slippery Belgians were interwoven with gags about Nandos, and a bizarre sequence featuring an imaginary goat.
His vaguely 1950s rockabilly look seemed gloriously at odds with this off-kilter material – although it was a short set, it unfolded during a winding journey, and one which was worth being along for the ride.
After the welcome sounds of lo-fi legends Guided By Voices bursting through the speakers during the interval, Stewart Lee launched into his current show, If You Prefer a Milder Comedian Please Ask For One. What began with recounting a moment of burning frustration experienced at a high street café soon snowballed into a devastatingly precise deconstruction of entertainment culture, with Top Gear being among the biggest culprits.
The Richard Hammond segment (“he’s not even a real Hamster…” etc) was bizarrely picked up on by the Daily Mail during Lee’s run at Edinburgh, yet other routines hit the spot in imaginative ways, such as the naivete of moving to the countryside or abroad for “quality of life” and a section which ties the strapline from a cider advertisement into a fabricated family history – it wouldn’t work in the hands of lesser comedians but Lee pulls it off with significant aplomb.
A master of his craft, Lee’s delivery remained perfectly pitched for his articulate hour of cultural dissection and comedic cynicism, skilfully built around repetition and a number of threads intricately woven together in his own inimitable style. Throwing down the mic on the stage, he climbed the stairs to deliver the denouement of the cider routine from the back of the theatre, projecting his voice to great effect.
He ended this superb set with an attempt to reclaim his favourite song, also used in a cider advertisement, treating the audience to a rendition of Steve Earle’s Galway Girl, introducing it in self-deprecating fashion by anticipating several audible groans. Rather than being mawkish or ill-advised, it was a touching and oddly fitting finale to a show which proved he’s still on top form.
One of the very best and most skilled stand-ups in the UK, you wouldn’t bet against him keeping up his incredible run. Fantastic stuff.
Stewart Lee and Tony Law both have DVDs for sale via the excellent Go Faster Stripe imprint.
Click here to see what GFS has to offer.
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk