Our hero stumbles onto the stage with a pint, bundle of A4 with unkept hair and grey beard (Julian Assange has let himself go…..Father Abraham from The Smurfs has let himself go…..) for this hastily scheduled Work In Progress show for his Work In Progress show at the weekend. He later reveals that a visit to the doctors earlier that day produced an offer of ‘seated activities for the over 50s’ and the enquiry “have you got someone to look after you at home?”
In the autumn thru spring Stew will have his regular several month residency at the Leicester Square Theatre with ‘Snowflake-Tornado’ and some of the material from this first gig might well appear. So I’m not going to spoil it. An obscure reference garners a response which he hopes will also work in audiences of more than the 60 people crammed into this hot room at 6pm on a Friday in May.
His first sketches of a hour long comedy set are better than some stand ups entire career. Will be fascinating to see how it is honed and perfected between now and October but it went down a storm tonight with Stew wondering “what if this is the best this material ever goes in front of an audience?”
He ends with an ancient piece of material although being Stewart Lee he can’t help but bring his surreal edge to revisiting a comic idea. The whole set obviously has a nervous energy and spontaneity (both planned and genuine) with less of the pausing and chiding of the audience that we’re used to but that only adds to the intensity of the gag rate. Its a genuine treat to see an unpolished but still sparkling diamond this close up
BTW I am sufficiently knowledgeable about the art of comedy to review Stewart Lee but I know funny when I see it
The audience:
Hardcore fans who happened to read an email quick enough to get tickets
It made me think..
Haven’t laughed til it hurt like that in ages. Those moments where you have to remember to breathe and just find yourself involuntarily physically convulsing from a comic idea – that’s magic
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter