THE premise of the uncategorisable comedian’s latest foray into provincial theatres is that he shares his stage with a tough-talking right-wing American werewolf comedian from the dark forests of his subconscious who hates humanity.
Thus Stewart Lee vs The Man-Wulf takes the form of a challenge to the ‘culturally irrelevant and physically enfeebled’ Lee to reclaim his stand-up crown by slaying the beast (inside us all) with a silver bullet after a period in the doldrums as he approaches 60, finds his TV profile diminished and his style of comedy obsolete.
Hardly the case really, with both nights at Lighthouse sold out, but let’s play along. This tour, incidentally, which has been in progress for months and goes on until mid-November then recommences in February, with the house full signs up at many venues across the country.
The trouble with such a long running show is that material dates – the Captain Tom stuff particularly – and Hulk Hogan, named in one riff about the right, had died since the show was written.
Lee is very much a Marmite comedian; there is no middle ground. It took me a while to appreciate his style – minutely dissecting his art while playing the morally superior metropolitan liberal railing against the world for not comprehensively appreciating his talents – but once you’re in his camp that’s it.
It’s all in the hesitation, deviation and repetition, the pauses, the looks, the running commentary about his act – and in this case, in a show in three parts – ‘normal’ Lee, his imaginary alter ego and a mash-up of the two – plus a massive, uncomfortable-looking werewolf costume thrown in for good measure.
He comes on in a flowery shirt, too tight jeans and boots, explaining what the show will be all about – the only way is ethics – and that this being his first performance for three months would necessitate some reading from prompt cards.
Lee goes off, returning quickly in a long teddy boy drape jacket and proceeds with six jokes, in the process dissing his audience – ‘not really aimed at you, this joke’ and getting in digs at the likes of Kevin Bridges, Russell Brand, Michael McIntyre, Jimmy Carr, Gregg Wallace and Ricky Gervais.
He did a lovely routine about jokes misrepresenting the rules of grammar, bantered with a largely unimpressive front row, sat on a stool and went off on a long routine about the goings on at an exhibition of works by the Irish artist Ithell Colquhoun.
Then the mists came down and he was swallowed by the darkness.
For part two he was the Man-Wulf, emerging, singing to boogie music in front of a city scape background. He vocalised, obnoxiously, in a manner that was a cross between Rich Hall and Iggy Pop talking about things he hated as a right-leaning libertarian comedian.
He also appeared somewhat perturbed that this all got the biggest laugh of the evening, but with Lee you can be sure of nothing, even as to whether all the first night glitches were part of the show (most certainly were, but all of them?). There was even some physical comedy involving him trying to get on his stool in the costume.
Eventually he shed the costume and analysed what had gone on before just wearing shorts, a tee-shirt and his Man-Wulf feet. Then he ended, playing acoustic guitar and parodying Bod Dylan’s voice through the ages.
“Does this look like a midlife crisis to you?” Yes, but a hilarious one
It’s all a long way from Lee & Herring.
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, 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
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk