Stewart Lee was at the Curve to present Vegetable Stew; material intended for his forthcoming Comedy Vehicle TV show.
In his book, How I Escaped My Certain Fate, Lee admitted he enjoys losing an audience and attempting to win it back, which made it difficult to tell if Sunday’s performance was deliberately evasive.
Lee’s understanding of the art of stand-up was evident all through, with numerous asides for meta-observations about the nature of the routine.
On occasion, he would stop the flow to comment on some seemingly unplanned thing he’d said or done.
It then became apparent how carefully planned Lee’s comedy was.
He relied on the audience being sufficiently familiar with stand-up to understand when its conventions were being subverted, and for the most part, they were with him.
The middle of the show elicited less audience approval, concerning satirical observations about Adrian Chiles and Gary Lineker.
By the time he was making accusations that comedian Russell Howard was responsible for deaths in the developing world, the crowd weren’t so sure the targets deserved it.
He pulled everyone back for a confessional tale about his involvement with the elitist Bullingdon Club at Oxford University, before defiantly derailing it at the close.
Lee deserved his plaudits for daring to challenge his audience and they in turn recognised a masterclass when they got it.
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
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Sweeping Curves, Twitter
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Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
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Mini-x2, readytogo.net
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Guest1001, Youtube
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Pirate Crocodile, 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
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Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
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Mearecate, Youtube
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Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
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Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
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Anon, BBC Complaints Log
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Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
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Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
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Al Murray, Comedian
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Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
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Carcrazychica, Youtube
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Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
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Rubyshoes, Twitter
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John Robins, Comedian
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Anon, westhamonline.com
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Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
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Zombie Hamster, Twitter
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Lents, redandwhitekop.com
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Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
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Anamatronix, Youtube
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NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
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General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
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Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
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Iain, eatenbymissionaries
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Stuart, Chortle
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Bosco239, youtube
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Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
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Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
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Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
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Mpf1947, Youtube
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Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
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GRTak, finalgear.com
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Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
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Gwaites, Digitalspy
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Joe, Independent.co.uk
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Microcuts 22, Twitter
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Danazawa, Youtube
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James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
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Kozzy06, Youtube
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Pudabaya, Twitter
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Gabrielle, Chortle.com
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Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
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Stokeylitfest, Twitter
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98rosjon, Twitter
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Foxfoxton, Youtube
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Robert Gavin, Twitter
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Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
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Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
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Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
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Aaron, comedy.co.uk
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Chez, Chortle.com
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Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
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Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
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Fairy Pingu, Twitter
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Horatio Melvin, Twitter
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Jamespearse, Twitter
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Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
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Dick Socrates, Twitter
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Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
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Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
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Idrie, Youtube
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Visualiser1, Twitter
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Sam Rooney, Youtube
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Borathigh5, Youtube
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Leach Juice, Twitter
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Peter Ould, Twitter
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Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
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Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
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Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
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Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
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Richard Herring, Comedian
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Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
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Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
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Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
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Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
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World Without End, Twitter
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Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
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Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
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Keilloh, Twitter
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Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
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Tin Frog, Twitter
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Rudeness, Youtube
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DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
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Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
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Secretdeveloper, Youtube