I’m sure most stand-up regulars know that situation where you have to force laughter out, even with a comedian you really like. Their set might be good, but you might be doing it to keep the energy up, or just out of courtesy. However, whenever I watch Lee, live or not, the laughter is honest and never forced.
The reason lies in the fact that most of Lee’s comedy doesn’t come from the set-up and punchline formula, even though it is there; it comes from everything around the joke. Lee’s characteristic deconstructive style emphasises the absurdist nature of all stand-up comedy, it makes you realise the bizarre situation of one person standing in front of hundreds of strangers, trying to make them laugh.
Everything you could expect from a Stewart Lee set is there; meticulously planned moments of audience contempt, frantic repetition, and unrelenting self-deprecation. It’s stand-up pedigree, go see him.
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, 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
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter