Stewart Lee likes to paint himself as an outcast. So how does he cope when, even with his BBC2 series long gone, he has already sold out three months in this 400-seater with a long tour and five nights at the Royal Festival Hall to follow? When Alan Bennett is among his fans? When this newspaper (specifically me, sorry) labelled him the best comedian in the world after his stunning previous show, Content Provider?
Well, there’s always his looks and health issues to contrast with his career. “I’m deaf, I’m blind, I’m grey, I’m fat,” suggests the bulkier-than-before, 51-year-old Lee. And then there is the indignity of having Netflix put completely the wrong description on his work, while Ricky Gervais, Jimmy Carr et al plough on from smash hit to smash hit.
If the challenges of being both exalted and excluded sound like a neat cul-de-sac for Lee to wander down rather than the basis for a whole show, then you have the limitations of Tornado, the first of two supposedly separate hours of stand-up. Lee roasts his rivals with enjoyable spite. He retains his buoyant way with knotty ideas. Yet the self-obsession that was previously a fizzing footnote to his act is a flatter proposition when it lacks larger topics to interact with. And a closing Bennett parody is a tame target for a comedian of Lee’s extraordinary skill and ambition.
The second hour, Snowflake, has Lee mocking-cum-celebrating his status as a peddler of endangered liberal values. Political correctness? He’s for it, give or take. He gets stuck into artful ironies and pointed nonsense about Phoebe Waller-Bridge and James Bond and Noddy and computer games, and mocks comedians (Gervais again) who supposedly “say the unsayable”. The details are accomplished, but the evening lacks the polyphonic verve of Lee at his best.
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
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
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter