Thanks to two sell out nights at the Lowry in the autumn, those of us who managed to miss the initial outing of Stewart Lee’s latest show get a welcome opportunity in this ‘due to popular demand’ extra date. But Lee berates us for our tardiness. If we were real fans we’d have rushed to the show the first time round.
So begins Lee’s latest offering of self pitying, world weary, sharp, intelligent stand up. He has, he tells us, already recorded much of this material for his 2014 TV series and we’re about to experience the content of three half hour shows containing all the things that are currently on his mind – pornography, immigration, and the worthlessness of existence.
Lee’s stand up has never strayed into the happier side of life and it’s certainly not about to happen now. His ‘ten minutes of jokes about dogs’ to warm up the audience stays firmly in the territory of tales of his kids stepping in excrement. It’s as though hitting middle age has been rewarded by hitting a whole new vein of gloom.
He’s more deliciously maudlin than ever. Lee hates everything. He heaps scorn on Twitter – ‘the Stasi for the Ocado generation’ – where his every move seems to be recorded by an increasingly mean-spirited populace. He hates Andrew Graham-Dixon and The Culture Show. He has nothing but contempt for Mock the Week. Taxi drivers and UKIP get a bashing. Even his wife and kids get a bit of a rough ride.
But it’s the parts of the show that demonstrate Lee’s trademark writing and delivery, in which he tips from stand up into something more like performance art, that work best. He’s honed this unique and rather brilliant performance style to perfection, pushing his material almost to breaking point, repeating lines over and over and deconstructing not only his subject matter, but his own performance. A long, one-sided telephone conversation, complete with long silences, is beautifully paced and demonstrates a brilliantly subtle physical acting skill. Most comedians wouldn’t have the nerve to keep this up for half as long.
A drawn-out and surreal routine on immigration shrewdly reveals the ignorance of prejudice. When a rather lame heckle is delivered from the back of the room he takes it head on, offering a reasoned, almost academic argument of why it doesn’t work. Lee really has mastered this comic technique now – he can even make it work when he’s off his tightly constructed script.
It’s no wonder Lee is back for this extra date, and that his shows can now fill the Lowry’s main house. He might cast himself as a washed-up, vasectomised, middle- aged, functioning alcoholic, father of two, but as a comedian Stewart Lee really is at the top of his game.
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, 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
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com