We all like to get value for money from a show and Stewart Lee has come up with a brilliant buy-one-get two-free concept. Stewart Lee Vs The Man-Wulf is classic liberal Lee stand-up, then a send-up of no-holds-barred shock humour and finally an attempt to merge the two, playing a woke comic with a macho streak. Oh, and in one of these sections he dresses as a werewolf.
It is all delivered in Lee’s trademark knowing style. Even in the first third of the tryptich, where he is playing himself, it is a version of himself, a caricature of an imagined metropolitan elite entertainer irritated by the ignorance of his audience, annoyed when a so-called fan cannot name a favourite ancient burial site.
This first section is easily the most laugh-out-loud gag-packed part of the night, with Lee delivering conventional jokes about Keir Starmer, Coldplay and Elon Musk that he implies are beneath him. Jokes like these might make you giggle, he suggests, but they are just mousetraps, easy to set up with a little cube of verbal cheese.
It’s a smart way of having his cake and eating it, but Lee wants to push further, exploring the controversial output of multi-million dollar Netflix stars Dave Chappelle and Ricky Gervais. He is honest enough to concede that the power of this sensibility is complex, confessing to being cruel to a supermodel over a lunch and enjoying the frisson of the encounter.
For reasons which we won’t reveal Lee returns after the interval in the guise of the “Man-Wulf”. You’ve got to admire his commitment to his art, performing in a heavy furry costume (plus miniscule prosthetic penis) on the hottest day of the year. And with a heart condition too. As he remarked, this is real dangerous comedy.
While the Man-Wulf riffs are standard sexist edgelord fodder the biggest cackles here actually come from his physicality, as he attempts to sit on a stool and cross his legs while looking like a hybrid of the Honey Monster and Bigfoot. Lee is not known for his clowning but his attempt to grasp an out-of-reach microphone is the comic highlight of 2025.
After mocking the shockers Lee wonders if maybe the metropolitan elite could learn something from their approach and tries to deliver compassionate material with alpha male aggression. Is it possible to sing the praises of avocado on sourdough while sounding bellicose?
After Lee’s last back-to-basics show, this multi-textured three-pack adds welcome variety to his familiar outsider-yet-insider humour. At one point he quips that perhaps this is his mid-life crisis. It was either this or a motorbike. I’m glad he forsook the Harley Davidson. There are few comics who can be simultaneously superior to their audience and the butt of the joke as well as Lee.
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter