It’s Stewart Lee. He is so far above other comedians that it makes me wonder why they bother. Of course it is a 5* review. Even when he is meandering he is a genius. Here the show was delayed by a power failure. Just more for him to get his teeth into. This double header routine is already lighter than the shows of recent years. The old boy is mellowing. But it is still as sharp as it needs to be and he wants it to be.
Went with BD who, by virtue of age, education and upbringing will not lot anything offensive pass. This is the only fat, bearded, privileged, cantankerous, white, straight, fifty-something bloke that she has the time of day for. Apart from Dad of course. And that is touch and go. I took her to see Ben Elton a week or so later. Based on my memory and our shared love of Blackadder. He was awful. An embarrassment. Pretending to be aware but reverting to lazy, tired cliche. I didn’t need BD to tell me what was wrong. We walked as soon as we could.
SL, beyond the deconstruction, reconstruction, repetition, dissonance, surreality, clever-clever, childish, audience prodding, provocation, intimidation, irony, sarcasm, faux self-regard, self-deprecation, is an optimist, a moral crusader who cannot tolerate hypocrisy even in himself. In a world where everyone is seeking offence or victimhood, he is critical in all senses. Of course you already know that and will have already signed up to see the show. Of which there are many. As he says, without him us liberals have been “starved of the opportunity to participate in mass agreement”. If you haven’t why don’t you go and see what all the fuss is about.
Snowflake works because it defends the “politically correct” that the uncritical rail against largely through the confrontation they employ. The attack of Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s comedy conceit. The painful put-down of Ricky Gervais “saying the unsayable”. Tornado works through incongruity. The confused Netflix listing, the Alan Bennett expansion and the Dave Chapelle anecdote. And those on just the hooks on which so many other laughs are secured.
For he is very, very, very funny.
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
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Al Murray, Comedian
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
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Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
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Sam Rooney, Youtube
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube