PEA GREEN BOAT by Stewart Lee Illustrated by David Waywell
Pea Green Boat
Published on 3 September 2026 (Ebury Spotlight)
In Pea Green Boat, Stewart Lee and David Waywell create a darkly hilarious retelling of The Owl and the Pussy-cat in which Edward Lear’s characters are revealed to be catastrophically poorly-equipped for maritime travel.
Told through the increasingly deranged diary of the Owl, the real story is unmasked and it becomes clear that these two creatures should never have been put in a boat together.
David’s gothic-comic illustrations are the perfect accompaniment to Stewart’s bleakly funny text, bringing a psychoactive subtext to the nonsensical world of Edward Lear’s poem.
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The book is inspired by Stewart’s cult 2001 stage piece of the same name, which he is reviving in special Pea Green Boat performances across the country, each featuring a different musical guest.
Stewart Lee, plus musicians, perform PEA GREEN BOAT by Stewart Lee
An owl wakes up at sea in a pea green boat. It is accompanied by a cat, its natural predator. There is some honey. What chain of events led to this dangerous situation?
Stewart Lee performs his darkly comic tale based on Edward Lear’s ‘The Owl & The Pussy- cat’ with live improvised musical accompaniment.
These live shows mark the publication of PEA GREEN BOAT by Stewart Lee and illustrated by David Waywell, and, at Leicester Square Theatre, every ticket includes a hardback copy (RRP £16.99 Ebury) to be collected at the performance.
Copies will be available to buy at other venues.
Very funny The Guardian ★★★★
Superb Nonsense The Scotsman ★★★★
It’s the Edward Lear / Stewart Lee Mash-Up that I’ve been waiting for!’ Harry Hill
Wed, 9th September – Music Room, Liverpool Philharmonic Hall with WILL SERGEANT on ambient guitar.
Tues 1st, Wed 2nd & Thurs 3rd December Leicester Square Theatre.
Further dates and accompanying musicians to be announced.
Age: suitable for 16+
Running time: approx. 1 hour inc. Q&A