Like Lee’s self-confession, I too felt like an unwelcome guest of a new social class. I harked back to last year and the rightly condemned show Lee had attempted and I braced myself for a long afternoon. I’m glad I was wrong. This might have been a work in progress, but as Lee announced “You should feel privileged to be witness to an artist at work”. Lee confessed his want to test out two new routines, with the intention the material be involved in his new TV series later this year, which will be well worth the viewing. Being a test, there were areas of raggedness and uncertainty, but Lee (a 20 year veteran of the Fringe) knows and is a master of tying up loose ends, everything has meaning, so even the most forgettable moments or lost jokes are not left behind. “Remember the 90’s, when I was funny?” Lee asked the crowd. Methodical, progressive, abstract, stimulating imagination, multi-layered anecdotes, all adjectives I think of when recalling Lee’s style from that era and again here today, this was Lee back to his (almost) prime. Lee clearly knew he had neglected these aspects of his approach last year and brought them back with a vengeance this time around, with the added momentum building complaint that evolved in to a full blown rant and a fourth wall break.
This was indeed a room with a Stew, but this was a show all about his time and his understanding of it, with an undercurrent of moral, fatherly suggestion; don’t worry, everything has a reason. From the second Lee started looking at his watch to allocating minutes to routine, to his trips down memory lane, his current state of financial security, to his perceived doomed future….and beyond, all the time berating self in comparison and deflecting this negativity on to the unfortunate chosen area of the crowd. Rounded off with what I perceived the cleverest twist he could have hoped for; the tragic irony that all this time his own perceptions of himself have been misunderstood.
Ps. I wish I made enough money so I too could purchase a chair, I would have brought it with me.
Coroner’s report: His pulse is steady, full signs of life 8/10.
Venue: Lee 2/10, me 5/10.
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, 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
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube