“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”.
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk