Religious bores would be seriously mistaken if they decide to picket the latest dramatic creation from stand up comedian and Jerry Springer – the Opera creator Stewart Lee.
What Would Judas Do? is a beautifully touching, intelligent, insightful study of what it was like to be ordinary in the presence of the extraordinary.
Lee presents a purely secular interpretation of the last week of Christ’s life.
Judas is a disillusioned revolutionary – an idea many Biblical historians support – who saw Jesus as the leader who would drive the occupying Romans out of Palestine and bring down the Pharisees’ puppet regime. Narrated from after his own death, Lee as Judas explains why he eventually betrayed Christ.
Lee peppers this tale with his masterful comedy. He is probably the most intelligent stand-up this country has produced in the past 20 years. There is more humour in the pauses between his words than in an entire 20-minute set by most comics.
Judas is irreverent towards Christ, who he sees as a Gandhian figure rather than a Messiah and a man who never fulfilled his potential. Lee uses Judas’ cynical humour to define the role and, through Judas’ own witty observations, the characters of the other disciples.
But, together with director Perrier winner Will Adamsdale, he also explores the frailty of a bunch of ordinary men, trying to understand their charismatic leader. The scenes involving the last supper and Christ’s eventual crucifixion are among the most touching an audience will see in a theatre anywhere. A 250-word review cannot do justice to this play – just go and see it.
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.