IF EVER a stand-up comedian divided opinion, then Stewart Lee is that man.
Opinion is heft right down the middle, as suggested by two contrasting quotes Lee puts on his website – “One of the top three or four living stand-ups” (Time Out) versus “The worst stand-up I have ever seen” (Graham Simmons, Chortle).
I would guess that Lee is not unhappy about such divisions for much of his comedy is mined from relentlessly mocking popular culture and dissecting the supreme pointlessness of fame in circular rants seemingly spun from nothing. In this, he is in a sense the anti-Michael Macintyre, for he has no wish to please, unlike the supremely successful MM, one of Lee’s targets and a man perfectly shaped for popularity.
Lee, conversely, is awkwardly shaped: an intelligent, relentless comedian who uses aggression and tension as comedy tools, and does not necessarily make matters easy for his audience.
A packed Theatre Royal was treated to a master-class of edgy comedy, with special attention given to Caffe Nero loyalty cards, Top Gear (and in particular Lee’s loathing for Richard Hammond, brilliantly put) and, in a madly extended sequence, an advert for cider made from pears, which saw Lee leave the stage and run up to the dress circle, while still ranting.
A Steve Earle song was dropped into the satire blender, too; all very rewarding, in a vaguely unsettling sense.
Simon Munnery, who did the opening slot, was less tense and amused greatly with his meandering tales.
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, 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
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter