“No one is equipped to review me,” said Stewart Lee towards the end of a comedy masterclass that pushed the audience at a packed Royal Concert Hall to the limit.
He was joking, obviously. Well, I think he was. And that sums up the tightrope he walked throughout his lengthy show (he came on just after 8 and there was a 20-minute interval but it was still after 10.35pm when he leapt off the stage and ran up the aisle to sign autographs). Even to describe the material betrays it. What sounds snide written down was often joyous in the room.
He was at his most devastating in the first half, brilliantly taking on the frequent “anti-PC” question: “Why don’t any of you lefty comedians make fun of Muslims?” This was thrillingly intelligent stuff, with Lee forensically lampooning “observational” stand-up, telling wannabe “Islamophobic” jokes in the voice of Roy “Chubby” Brown and launching into an inspired, hysterically ill-informed, rant against Quakers.
He jokily divided the audience into the brighter “hardcore fans” who had bought stalls tickets and the rest of us – “chaff”, only there because he’d been on telly. This led to a spiralling riff on the pressures facing comedians and the fact that so many comics have taken their own lives. This was frequently uncomfortable but never less than hilarious. “It’s audiences like you that essentially murdered Robin Williams,” he said, justifiably bringing down the house. You had to be there.
The second half, about the lunacies of nationalism and home life, was more relaxed and rambling – exactly right after the peaks of part one. Lee, one of the best live comedians I’ve ever seen, is using this tour to develop material for a new series of his BBC Comedy Vehicle shows. On this evidence, it’s going to be unmissable.
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Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
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Joycey, readytogo.net
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Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
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Stokeylitfest, Twitter
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General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
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Peter Ould, Youtube
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Frankie Boyle, Comedian
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Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
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Al Murray, Comedian
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Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
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Peter Fears, Twitter
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Emilyistrendy, Youtube
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98rosjon, Twitter
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Brighton Argus
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A D Ward, Twitter
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Pnethor, pne-online.com
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Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
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Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
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Gabrielle, Chortle.com
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James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
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Aiden Hearn, Twitter
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Sweeping Curves, Twitter
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Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
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12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
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Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
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DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
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Microcuts 22, Twitter
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Kozzy06, Youtube
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Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
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Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
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Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
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Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
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Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
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GRTak, finalgear.com
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Robert Gavin, Twitter
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Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
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Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
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Jamespearse, Twitter
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Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
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BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
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Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
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Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
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Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
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Etienne, Chortle.com
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Borathigh5, Youtube
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Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
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Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
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Mearecate, Youtube
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Danazawa, Youtube
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Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
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Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
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Hiewy, Youtube
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Foxfoxton, Youtube
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Guest1001, Youtube
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Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
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Anon, BBC Complaints Log
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Stuart, Chortle
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NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
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Anon, westhamonline.com
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Liam Travitt, Twitter
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Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
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Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
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Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
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Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
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Richard Herring, Comedian
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John Robins, Comedian
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Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
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Len Firewood, Twitter
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Jackmumf, Twitter
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Birmingham Sunday Mercury
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Bosco239, youtube
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Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
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Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
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Shit Crit, Twitter
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Mrdavisn01, Twitter
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Fairy Pingu, Twitter
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Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
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Tin Frog, Twitter
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Wharto15, Twitter
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Mpf1947, Youtube
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Gwaites, Digitalspy
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Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
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Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
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World Without End, Twitter
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Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
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Rubyshoes, Twitter
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Carcrazychica, Youtube
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Dick Socrates, Twitter
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Cyberbloke, Twitter
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Contrapuntal, Twitter
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Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
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Joe, Independent.co.uk
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Zombie Hamster, Twitter
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Fowkes81, Twitter
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Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph