REVIEWING a comedy show is normally a pretty straightforward affair.
Simply cherry-pick two or three of the best gags from the evening (filtering for a family audience of course), babble about audience reaction, add a cliché or two, and it’s job done.
However, reviewing Stewart Lee is a much more complicated affair. For a start, if you were to repeat any of the jokes, you’d need far more than the 400 words our esteemed What’s On editor allows for these things.
Secondly, explaining just what is funny about Mr Lee’s comedy has defeated writers far more talented than myself. However, all I can say is that he is funny. Very funny.
Saturday’s gig was made up of new material written for the forthcoming series of his BBC show Comedy Vehicle, and consisted of three half-hour slots.
Despite his protestations, the evening did have the feel of a single show – with the theme of an increasingly embittered 45-year-old father railing against a world he simply does not understand, or more to the point does not like anymore.
Topics for discussion ranged from the wasteland of a ten-year marriage, viewed through the eyes of two extra imaginary partners, through to the plight of disenfranchised voters being left with a choice of UKIP, which culminated in a spectacular rant against the first fish to emerge from the ocean four billion years ago.
It was all interspersed by imaginary phone calls to Michael McIntyre, and a running battle with a fly which made several uninvited visits to the stage. I guess you had to be there.
As I said, I cannot explain what makes Stewart Lee the best stand-up on the circuit, but judging by the tears of laughter from those sat around me I’m not the only person to think it.
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
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Etienne, Chortle.com
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Mini-x2, readytogo.net
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Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
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Fairy Pingu, Twitter
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Slothy Matt, Twitter
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Borathigh5, Youtube
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Richard Herring, Comedian
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Peter Ould, Twitter
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Zombie Hamster, Twitter
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Shit Crit, Twitter
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Leach Juice, Twitter
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Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
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Rubyshoes, Twitter
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Liam Travitt, Twitter
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Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
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Meninblack, Twitter
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Mearecate, Youtube
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Danazawa, Youtube
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Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
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Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
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Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
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Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
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Iain, eatenbymissionaries
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Stokeylitfest, Twitter
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Visualiser1, Twitter
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Wharto15, Twitter
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Microcuts 22, Twitter
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Lents, redandwhitekop.com
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Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
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Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
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Anamatronix, Youtube
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Birmingham Sunday Mercury
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Pirate Crocodile, 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
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General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
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Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
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Z-factor, Twitter.
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Peter Ould, Youtube
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Carcrazychica, Youtube
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Len Firewood, Twitter
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James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
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Sweeping Curves, Twitter
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Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
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Tin Frog, Twitter
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Brighton Argus
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Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
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NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
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Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
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Rudeness, Youtube
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Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
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Mpf1947, Youtube
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Pudabaya, Twitter
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John Robins, Comedian
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Pnethor, pne-online.com
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Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
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Bosco239, youtube
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Frankie Boyle, Comedian
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FBC, finalgear.com
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Guest1001, Youtube
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Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
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Jackmumf, Twitter
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Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
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Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
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Mrdavisn01, Twitter
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Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
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Hiewy, Youtube
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12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
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Peter Fears, Twitter
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Contrapuntal, Twitter
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Horatio Melvin, Twitter
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Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
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Gabrielle, Chortle.com
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Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
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GRTak, finalgear.com
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Al Murray, Comedian
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Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
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World Without End, Twitter
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Gwaites, Digitalspy
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Keilloh, Twitter
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A D Ward, Twitter
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Sam Rooney, Youtube
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Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
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Clampdown59, Twitter.
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Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
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Dick Socrates, Twitter
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Robert Gavin, Twitter
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Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
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98rosjon, Twitter
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Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
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Aiden Hearn, Twitter
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Fowkes81, Twitter
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Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
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Aaron, comedy.co.uk
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Kozzy06, Youtube
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Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
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Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
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Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
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Anon, BBC Complaints Log
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Secretdeveloper, Youtube
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Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
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Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
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Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
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Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
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Jamespearse, Twitter
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Emilyistrendy, Youtube
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Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
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Tres Ryan, Twitter
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Foxfoxton, Youtube
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Cyberbloke, Twitter
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Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
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Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
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Tokyofist, Youtube
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Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
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Stuart, Chortle
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Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
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Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
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Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
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Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
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Idrie, Youtube
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DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
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Chez, Chortle.com
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Anon, westhamonline.com
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Joycey, readytogo.net
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Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
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Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
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Sidsings000, Youtube