“This is my first mid-30s, pretentious one-man show,” says Stewart Lee in an apologetic intro to Pea Green Boat. This isn’t stand-up, he warns, so prepare not to laugh. The preamble promises some daring dramatic experiment. In fact, this solo delve into Edward Lear’s most famous poem is sweet and very funny – but doesn’t deviate greatly from the stand-up with which Lee made his name.
It is structured as the story of a short time in Lee’s life. His career was hitting the skids when he was commissioned to write a film of Edward Lear’s life. At the same time, his toilet was broken and he couldn’t go to the loo. He interweaves these unlikely story strands into an examination of The Owl and the Pussycat – a boat trip, he points out, undertaken by a bird and its natural predator. Many of the show’s laughs derive from Lee’s droll determination to take the ditty literally: how can an owl play a small guitar? How can a turkey conduct a wedding ceremony? He recites extracts from the owl’s travelogue, to the moody strains of an accompanying cello. Guest star Simon Munnery appears as Lear, and as the would-be biopic star Ray Winstone, “from Scum, and Sexy Beast”.
The storytelling structure sets up expectations of dramatic fulfilment on which Pea Green Boat doesn’t yet deliver. This is still, essentially, stand-up, even if its subject matter is unusually esoteric and biographical. Lee is a comedy master by now, and his own pleasure and nonplussed sense of absurdity constantly amuses. He makes his material seem like a veritable mine of comic potential, so that on Day 47 of the owl’s journal, when the boat trip ends, Lee finds the bird complaining: “But I’ve nearly learnt to play Mull of Kintyre”.
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
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John Robins, Comedian
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
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Richard Herring, Comedian
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
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Fairy Pingu, Twitter
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World Without End, Twitter
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Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
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Dick Socrates, Twitter
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Kozzy06, Youtube
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Cyberbloke, Twitter
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Slothy Matt, Twitter
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Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
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Jamespearse, Twitter
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Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
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Chez, Chortle.com
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Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
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Z-factor, Twitter.
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Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
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Hiewy, Youtube
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Horatio Melvin, Twitter
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Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
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Carcrazychica, Youtube
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Peter Fears, Twitter
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Meninblack, Twitter
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Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
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Clampdown59, Twitter.
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Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
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Stuart, Chortle
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Mpf1947, Youtube
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Bosco239, youtube
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Anon, BBC Complaints Log
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Aiden Hearn, Twitter
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Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
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Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
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Danazawa, Youtube
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Tokyofist, Youtube
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Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
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Emilyistrendy, Youtube
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Anon, westhamonline.com
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Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
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Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
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Fowkes81, Twitter
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Wharto15, Twitter
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Pudabaya, Twitter
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Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
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James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
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Funday’schild, youtube.
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Lucinda Locketts, 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
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Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
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Borathigh5, Youtube
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Mrdavisn01, Twitter
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Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
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Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
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Tres Ryan, Twitter
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Rubyshoes, Twitter
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Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
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Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
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Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
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Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
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Sidsings000, Youtube
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Jackmumf, Twitter
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Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
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Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
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Etienne, Chortle.com
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
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Secretdeveloper, Youtube
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Peter Ould, Twitter
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
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NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
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Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
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Guest1001, Youtube
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
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Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
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Robert Gavin, Twitter
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter