Comedian Stewart Lee is currently on tour in the UK, performing with the original name “Much a Stew about Nothing”, a title which set the bar for the show itself. In the usually full Festival Theatre, Lee was much less anticipated, performing to less than a third of the venue, a fact which he was witty enough to point out to us at least ten times.
According to Lee, this didn’t matter in the slightest, we were ‘just a test’ for a television show which will appear at some point next year. This he was very keen to mention at any given opportunity, clearly proud of himself, but to the point of becoming smug, writing off the audience opinion if the reaction was not appreciative enough for his high standards.
Though most jokes got a laugh or a at least a titter, Lee felt the need to explain the political jokes, as if teaching a primary class, willing the audience to try and understand his supposed hilarity through long winded explanation and dumbed down metaphors.
His tedious stories were matched only by his pretentious demeanour, which left me feeling like he saw the audience as idiots, those below him whom he had been sent to educate about political correctness and satire.
This is the first time where I’ve been completely bored of a performance, waiting through endless anecdotes and stories for a weak punch line which, after an incredibly long time, does not have the same impact. Transferring to television could be a problem for Stewart Lee, everything needs to be cut down enormously or we’ll be watching half a story over the course of an hour, for the occasional smile every now and then.
Though I wouldn’t advise it, the tour continues throughout the UK until February of next year, and tickets are available on his website at www.stewartlee.co.uk
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter