The first half, Tornado, stems from the comedian’s discovery that his Comedy Vehicle TV show mistakenly spent two years on Netflix with the description from American sci-fi horror film Sharknado 3 as its listing.
This discovery, alongside the Times calling him the “world’s greatest living stand-up”, causes Lee to assess his own place in the comedy landscape.
Dave Chappelle, Leonard Cohen, and Josh Widdicome are all discussed and Brighton itself is lauded/berated (it can be quite hard to tell) for having two comic shops, but none received as much attention as much as the comedian’s favourite topic, Stewart Lee himself.
The second half, Snowflake, is a less structured set than Tornado and is a little weaker for it in a purely comic sense.
It sees Lee addressing politics and the downfall of political correctness in recent years.
The set did include a couple of bits that were familiar such as an array of responses to a Christian evangelist asking Lee: “Jesus is the answer, what is the question?”.
But these were only done in passing and the sheer amount of material in the show means it can’t be held against the comedian.
Some of Lee’s extended riffs can feel more like endurance tests for both audience and performer than anything else.
One such bit came in the second half when Lee discusses what a comedian “saying the unsayable” would really be like. The six-minute demonstration that follows tested the patience of many, but other, similarly long routines certainly land.
One was a long enactment of a week’s worth of workplace conversations, while another was a less obviously worked bit about Tony Parsons’ cess pit, which eventually had Lee saying: “Thank God the laughter has stopped. Can it be noted by the local paper that I actually had to stop the laughter.”
Snowflake/Tornado isn’t perfect then, but with Stewart Lee offering some genuine insight alongside perhaps more jokes than ever before, it certainly shouldn’t be missed.
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.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
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter