Even on his 17th visit to the Fringe, the sublime Stewart Lee is one of the most intelligent, skilful and original comic voices on offer. But even so, he’s not quite as funny as a fart. That the expulsion of waste gas is the most hilarious thing imaginable is just one of the many theses he painstakingly explains in this comedy masterclass. It sounds a puerile subject, but Lee’s technique is to treat it with such a considered, measured gravity you trick yourself into thinking it must be serious and important, even when he suggests farting as a solution to world peace.
The gap between this elevated approach and the juvenile subject is where the comedy lies, especially when he punctures his own thoughtful solemnity at the routine’s end. Not that it’s just the wonderful lines that get a laugh, the languid pauses and quiet build-ups build such anticipation that you’re suppressing chuckles before the punchline even arrives. Lee is nothing if not a superlative technician, yet original enough to follow his own comic blueprint rather that reaching for the universal ploys found in the pages of teach-yourself stand-up manuals. In fact, when he does feel the need to employ, say, the rule of three (that being the optimum number of items in any list for most impact eg, ‘an Englishman, an Irishman and a Scotsman’, or ‘ein volk, ein Reich, ein Fuhrer’), he knowingly deconstructs and subverts the idea, keeping the audience in on the joke.
Another example is that 9/11 to Britons should mean November 9 an observation made by many a comic in the three years the date became significant. Yet Lee mentions it so relentlessly that we are beaten into submission by the very repetition more than the actual gag itself. Exaggerating to comic effect is another staple, but Lee takes even that to such ridiculous extremes that it becomes a rich, unique pleasure. He has fairly strong views on most aspects of comedy’s structure and execution, as demonstrated by the ridiculously funny overanalysis of a pun he made to film director Ang Lee, who misunderstood the entire concept of wordplay and thus sparked a huge row laced with accusations of racism.
That subject is hinted at again when Lee launches a savage, unrestrained broadside at the Scottish, belittling their nation, beliefs and heroes in a deliberate wind-up. But this low-level racism is perfectly acceptable, he ironically claims, since he’s ‘Scotch’ himself at least by birth if not upbringing. Ethnic comics everywhere should take note of the sarcasm. Not that he’s shy about naming and shaming who he considers comedy’s worst practitioners, likening Graham Norton to ‘a pink jackboot stomping on a human face for all eternity’ but reserving his most vitriolic scorn for Ben Elton, who he considers slightly less popular than Osama Bin Laden, because at least the terrorist mastermind lived his life according to a strict moral code.
Lee has something in common with Elton, of course, having once been at the vanguard of a stand-up movement and now the writer of a West End show. But that’s where the similarities, thankfully, end, with Lee still on top of his game, and true to his original voice. Anyone serious about comedy should watch and learn.
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, 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
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube