Stewart Lee has been called the comedian’s comedian – pushing the boundaries of comedy with clever word play, rather than cheap shock tactics. He’s also been described as ‘a slime pit of bitterness’, and coming from the Daily Mail, exceeding its bile takes some beating.
Of course his politics are widely opposed to the Mail, and in this show there is plenty of political swiping. There are some obvious jokes about Thatcher, which go off on a tangent leading to a crude joke about anal sex.
It makes you want to turn into the 45-year-old, dad-of-two, which Lee is, and say, ‘It’s not clever and it’s not funny,’ but really I just thought, ‘Aren’t you better than this?’
Thankfully, the rest of the show does get better than this. There are the obvious laughs, having a pop at our Scouse neighbours, ‘If only there was a way for Liverpudlians to make profit out of talking about the past in a whiney voice’, ridiculing the distinction between Manchester and Salford when everyone outside sees them as one and the same, and pulling apart the routines of more mainstream comedians like Peter Kay and Jimmy Carr – although that said, his Jimmy Carr face is unexpectedly hilarious.
But next to this are a series of more inventive ideas drawn out to surreal lengths with painstaking repetition. Lee takes UKIPs policy on immigration to its extreme by leading us back to the first amphibians stepping out of the water, then back further to the Big Bang, all followed by UKIPs deputy leader, Paul Nuttal’s repetitive remarks on immigration, which sound increasingly absurd as the joke progresses.
Lee’s obscure take on intolerance then takes a different twist as he mocks both a small-minded cabbie and his own liberal need for political correctness, by pretending he has both a black wife and a gay wife, striking up a scenario where these purposefully stereotyped characters meet with his equally stereotyped Irish wife.
In all it’s a mixed bag, but there are enough gems in there to keep him on top, and, much as he might fight it, filling the 1,000-plus seater Lowry for two nights must surely mean that Lee’s humour, thanks to TV success, has won over the mainstream.
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries