“People say I don’t have any jokes,” says Stewart Lee in his new show – then sends up his supposed inability to crack a gag. But don’t be fooled. Lee’s entire act is a joke: if his lips are moving, he’s not being serious. What’s unique is his nimbleness in keeping a step ahead of our sense of what kind of joke he’s telling. It’s often funny, but at any given point, it’s deviously unclear what we’re laughing at. Adrian Chiles, or Lee’s juvenile dislike of Adrian Chiles? Russell Howard, or the corrupting pact between charity and celebrity? David Cameron, or our poor, benighted selves?
The latter sequence is an extreme example of Lee’s shtick – extreme, because his shaggy dog story about hobnobbing with Cameron at university intrigues, but hardly amuses. The routine starts by invoking the leftie agit-comedy of the 1980s. But this yarn, which subtly sends up Britain’s romance with the supposedly detoxified Tories – Lee even sings a Bullingdon Club guitar ballad – heralds a new brand of political standup, which meets 21st-century politics on its chosen battleground: character and emotion rather than reason and policy.
The earlier material is out-and-out funnier. There’s a dopey riff about Lee’s granddad, obsessed with crisps and assailed by Godzilla’s adversary Mothra. And a penetrating segment on charity, which digs into the cultural fallout when our most celebrated benefactors are also purveyors of snide gags on panel shows; whether that’s hilarious or tragic is up to you. Rather than marshal us to the laugh, Lee lets it ebb and flow – now within reach, now just without – on the tide of his insistent, repetitious delivery. This is satire as neuro-linguistic programming, like a relaxation tape with gremlins, worming Lee’s scorched-idealist worldview round the funny bone, and right into the subconscious.
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Herald Scotland.
Herald Scotland.
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Zoot Cadillac, Twitter
Zoot Cadillac, Twitter
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
XPIJONpsY, Twitter
XPIJONpsY, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Dan McCaid, Twitter
Dan McCaid, Twitter
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Spursguy, Youtube
Spursguy, Youtube
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle