Stewart Lee is on marvellous form with this double header. The first hour, Tornado, opens with Lee reading out the wrong blurb that a previous show of his, Comedy Vehicle, was given on Netflix. It actually describes the B-movie Sharknado, in which sharks fall from the sky. The joke is teased out through the hour, as Lee chisels away at a favourite subject in his work – his perceived standing in comedy. Both the film and Lee’s stand-up are so surreal, though, would anyone tuning in on Netflix have actually noticed the difference?
The mention of Netflix also allows Lee to ruminate on what he sees as the disparity between talent and commercial worth. Of course Ricky Gervais and Jimmy Carr are targets, but there are others, too. A set piece about US comic Dave Chappelle moves from a description of an unremarkable meeting between the pair at Leicester Square Theatre to something altogether stranger, as Lee imagines a scary chase through the streets of Soho. And this being Lee, he also manages to weave a fine Brexit joke into the telling of the tale.
In the second hour, Snowflake, it’s Tony Parsons, Ricky Gervais (again) and Phoebe Waller-Bridge who get it in the neck. The first is demolished in a gloriously pedantic essay on grammar. Gervais is parodied for “saying the unsayable” in a lengthy riff that has no actual words in it, and Waller-Bridge is ridiculed for her “discovery” of addressing the audience directly. To be fair to the Fleabag creator, she never claims this, but Lee neatly deconstructs the status bestowed on her as he acts out how everything, from Shakespeare to weather forecasts, may have looked had others not had the same lightbulb moment.
There’s so much comedy packed into the two hours that one could almost miss the deeper layers of Lee’s material. But it’s there, in the seemingly throwaway lines, as Lee makes a deep dive into the post-PC age, and what those of a liberal bent are to make of it. He never quite reaches a conclusion, preferring to let the audience confront their own prejudices.
While the Stewart Lee trademarks – the sarcasm, the surreal invention, the faux self-regard – are very much present, he also introduces new elements to his performance: a playful physicality and literary spoofs. Despite one section on Alan Bennett slightly outstaying its welcome, Lee remains on top form.
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube