Stewart Lee was described by The Times in 2009 as ‘the comedians comedian, and with good reason.’ He is the man responsible for television delights such as Fist of Fun, Stewart Lee’s Comedy Vehicle and the controversial but brilliant Jerry Springer: The Opera.
As well as that he is also noticeable for being part of the teams who created great comedy characters such as Alan Partridge and The Mighty Boosh.
His reach within the world of British comedy is unquestionable, I have always been a fan from afar but this is my first experience of the 9th ‘Most Influential Person in UK Comedy’ live.
I’m suddenly all too aware of the famous E B White’s quote ‘Analysing humour is like dissecting a frog. Few people are interested and the frog dies’ but we plod on.
Lee is incredibly articulate; he starts the show with a typical lowdown of what’s going to happen over the course of the evening then effortlessly begins deconstructing the jokes, narrative and entire set to great effect. The first half (and first joke we’re assured) focuses mainly on satire and is not, in my opinion, his greatest work.
The first half jokes are laboured and other than a great piece about his last date at the Lowry four years ago (giving back a fortune in refunds as a Maltese heckler thought the set was a personal conversation and kept answering back) the act is largely forgettable and I found myself forcing out a laugh or two. The second half is a different story entirely and two sections stand out, the UKIP/Immigration joke is beautifully crafted and delivered taking the current ‘don’t come to our country’ attitude of a particular politician right back through the Neolithic ages to the big bang and beyond. The Latvia stereotype story another wonder of imagination and surrealism. Lee ends with the 45 year old impotent vasectomised married father of two story which has both myself and the rest of the audience in stitches.
Generally the show is very funny but a little hit and miss. I count three genuine belly laughs, several smaller laughs (usually directed at his expert use of language and semantics) and a fairly constant smile, some audience members are in hysteric convulsions others sit bemused.
Lee’s reputation as an anti-populist comedian is well founded, but based on tonight’s show I’d encourage fans to find tickets in smaller venues with more like minded audience members to fully enjoy the Stewart Lee experience.
Now, where’s the needle and thread for this frog?
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, 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
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube