Stewart Lee has a masterful way with words, a poised and confident stage presence, and the accomplished performance skills of someone who has worked and worked at it.
He also knows all of the above which is what makes him such an irritating smarmy prick at times.
I struggled with myself to put this out of the way and enjoy the material. Fabulous material it is too, with hand-sewn sequins and brocade edging. His revisionist Scottish history, justified by the fact that he is Scottish himself, his extended piece on the great tragedy of ‘November 9th’ and his battering of the photofit, by-the-numbers, nostalgic pseudo-comedy that infests every comedy club in the country are items to be savoured especially when delivered in his relaxed, laconic manner.
You may, like me, however, find it neccessary to avoid looking at his face at some points so that you don’t see the ‘there, how clever am I’ expression that frequently descends upon it. In fact, if you don’t (or can’t) look at him at all, it’s probably a four-newt show.
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, 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
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian