Lee announces this as his “first mid-thirties pretentious one-man show”, but it retains his trademark comic perspective.
The idea is that Lee, having been commissioned to write a treatment of an Edward Lear biopic to star Ray Winstone(!), becomes simultaneously obsessed with Lear’s nonsense poem and with his own problems living in a flat without a toilet. No, really, it all meshes together after a fashion.
His technique goes beyond deadpan: he applies a scathing literal analysis to irrational material to make it even funnier. An owl shares a boat with a cat, its natural predator: “Why was this allowed to happen?” How do they open the jar of honey when neither has opposable thumbs? What chords can the owl manage on its small guitar? Is the turkey that marries them at the end of the poem ordained? …that sort of thing.
He augments his main material with bits of writing he has found on the street, and his performance with slides, a live cellist and Simon Munnery in a huge false beard as Lear and in a Michael Caine voice as Winstone. There’s a hint of Ken Campbell about this kind of monologue, but Lee brings a darker intelligence to bear on the absurdity of it all.
Written for divento.com
Copyright © Ian Shuttleworth; all rights reserved.
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Spursguy, Youtube
Spursguy, Youtube
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Zoot Cadillac, Twitter
Zoot Cadillac, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
XPIJONpsY, Twitter
XPIJONpsY, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Dan McCaid, Twitter
Dan McCaid, Twitter
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Herald Scotland.
Herald Scotland.
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter