“No one is equipped to review me,” says Stewart Lee – and I doubt I’m the first reviewer to feel compelled to include the line in my review. And he’s right, in a way; he’s fiercely intellectual, this comedian, and I’m sure he could shoot down in flames any criticism I might make.
It’s fortunate, then, that I don’t have much to criticise; we’re already fans; we went to this show secure in the knowledge we would like it. It’s our wedding anniversary, after all (we got married a year ago, while at the Fringe), so of course we chose a show we knew we’d relish; we wanted to enjoy the day.
We’ve seen this show before, or, at least, we’ve seen a show with the same title and a few of the same routines. That was back in March at the Lowry in Salford, where – although the material was as deft and challenging as you might expect – the room was too big, and the whole thing felt a little too remote.
Not that Lee is aiming for ‘engaging’ or ‘crowd-pleasing;’ he references Brecht’s Verfremdungseffekt, and it’s certainly a technique he likes to employ, simultaneously haranguing his audience for being “the wrong sort” and appealing to the vanity in all of us when he says those wrong ’uns are “not like my core audience: those of you who understand what it is I do.” We all want to be in Stewart’s gang; we all want to be clever enough to be in on the joke.
The second half of the show is my favourite: Lee’s quest to mine the “lucrative Islamophobic observational comedy market,” along with his trademark meta-commentary on the very idea of jokes, is just breath-taking, really: it’s rigorous, uncomfortable, demanding – and very funny.
It’s Stewart Lee; of course it is.
5 stars
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
XPIJONpsY, Twitter
XPIJONpsY, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Zoot Cadillac, Twitter
Zoot Cadillac, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Spursguy, Youtube
Spursguy, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Herald Scotland.
Herald Scotland.
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Dan McCaid, Twitter
Dan McCaid, Twitter
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter