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.
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com