STEWART LEE is a master of challenging, and at times hilarious, rambling satires. And he starts off his Snowflake/Tornado show as he means to go on with an oblique punning quip about Julian Assange — ironic, as Lee is a columnist for Assange’s nemesis, the Guardian/Observer.
Unsurprising, though, because Lee is one of most talented ironists around, with every utterance and gesture imbued with multiple meanings.
He doesn’t spare himself in the irony stakes either, as he begins a repetitive motif of being the “world’s number one stand-up comedian,” according to the Times, before immediately locking horns with the audience.
Spotting someone on a mobile phone, he marches up the aisle and confiscates it. Back on the stage, he secretes it down the back of his trousers between his bum cheeks.
I’d previously assumed that these confrontations with the audience are pre-arranged set-pieces but on this occasion I know it’s spontaneous — the hapless victim is a friend of mine.
Observing the reaction, Lee engages in a mocking divide and rule as he plays off one part of the audience against another as no-one else can.
At times, in his ability to will the audience to follow him on the most surreal ramblings, his mastery is complete.
The cumulative repetition and his ability to balance different strands of narrative like a performer spinning plates on sticks is breathtaking.
Yet it doesn’t always come off — sometimes Lee’s wilful extension of his line of thought fails, leading to awkward silences and some of the routines outstay their welcome.
His Ricky Gervais parody, initially hilarious, loses power by the end.
But in turning his fire on different British towns and cities, the class structure, comedians in general and US comedians in particular, stand-up comedy as a genre and the bullshit mediascape that has us all narcotised, Lee is a bracing tonic in a world turned upside down.
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries