Stewart Lee’s decision to do two nights of the same tour at the Cambridge Corn Exchange (the previous was May 2015) was a mistake. A big mistake that he is quick to criticise and punish the audience for.
Within the opening few minutes he has threatened to strike our faces with his microphone stand before smashing our mobile phones and then defecating on their shattered remains. Newcomers to Lee’s work tittered nervously, but the more seasoned majority encouraged them to accept his aggressive tone of disappointment as his very raison d’être. Cambridge settled in to have it’s middle class guilt magnified, mocked and mollified.
The tour was intended to workshop and develop material for the not-quite-Bafta winning Comedy Vehicle (Graham Norton gets a faux-bashing for being the undeserving winner for his lesser shower, dismissed as simply ‘chatting’). The new series has since been recorded, so the audience are treated to the final polished version with the barbs at their very sharpest. When we applaud a well sign-posted throwback joke we are quickly knocked backed for our pathetic desire to applaud our own capacity for memory: the audience’s lust for Lee’s criticism feels borderline sadomasochistic, but the rewards are so very rich.
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
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Len Firewood, Twitter
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Sam Rooney, Youtube
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Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
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Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
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Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
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Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
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Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
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Robert Gavin, 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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Dick Socrates, Twitter
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Keilloh, Twitter
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Tin Frog, Twitter
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Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
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Stokeylitfest, Twitter
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Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
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Iain, eatenbymissionaries
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Emilyistrendy, Youtube
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Rudeness, Youtube
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Lents, redandwhitekop.com
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Mpf1947, Youtube
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James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
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Clampdown59, Twitter.
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Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
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Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
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Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
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Secretdeveloper, Youtube
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A D Ward, Twitter
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FBC, finalgear.com
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Gwaites, Digitalspy
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Leach Juice, Twitter
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Slothy Matt, Twitter
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GRTak, finalgear.com
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Meninblack, Twitter
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Gabrielle, Chortle.com
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Peter Ould, Twitter
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Bosco239, youtube
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Foxfoxton, Youtube
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Joycey, readytogo.net
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Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
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Joe, Independent.co.uk
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Anon, BBC Complaints Log
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Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
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Visualiser1, Twitter
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Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
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Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
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Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
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Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
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Shit Crit, Twitter
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Chez, Chortle.com
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NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
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General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
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Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
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Mrdavisn01, Twitter
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Jamespearse, Twitter
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Anon, westhamonline.com
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Danazawa, Youtube
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Anamatronix, Youtube
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Aaron, comedy.co.uk
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Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
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Sweeping Curves, Twitter
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Aiden Hearn, Twitter
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Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
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Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
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Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
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Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
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Sidsings000, Youtube
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Pnethor, pne-online.com
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Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
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John Robins, Comedian
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Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
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Zombie Hamster, Twitter
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Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
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Funday’schild, youtube.
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Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
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Horatio Melvin, Twitter
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Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
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Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
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Carcrazychica, Youtube
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Wharto15, Twitter
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Contrapuntal, Twitter
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Guest1001, Youtube
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Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
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Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
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Fairy Pingu, Twitter
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Cyberbloke, Twitter
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Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
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Hiewy, Youtube
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Fowkes81, Twitter
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Pudabaya, Twitter
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Tres Ryan, Twitter
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Rubyshoes, Twitter
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Richard Herring, Comedian
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Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
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Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
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World Without End, Twitter
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Microcuts 22, Twitter
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Liam Travitt, Twitter
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Z-factor, Twitter.
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Frankie Boyle, Comedian
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Jackmumf, Twitter
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Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
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Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
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Kozzy06, Youtube
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Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
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Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
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98rosjon, Twitter
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Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
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Peter Ould, Youtube
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Stuart, Chortle
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Tokyofist, Youtube
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Mearecate, Youtube
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Etienne, Chortle.com
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Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
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Peter Fears, Twitter
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Al Murray, Comedian
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Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
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Birmingham Sunday Mercury
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Mini-x2, readytogo.net
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Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
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Borathigh5, Youtube
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Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
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Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
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Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
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DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter