Topic: Stewart Lee - Content Provider

[Dirty Boy]

Couldn't see a specific thread for this.

Saw him in Lancaster yesterday and thought it was superb, start to finish. Bits of it are obviously open to change (as he admitted re: uncertainty about brexit, Trump etc), but the whole thing felt complete as a two hour set albeit in an 'even more intricate CRW grab bag of stuff' type way. The Russell Howard bits caused me to shed actual tears, a first for me at a comedy show. The audience dividing trope was also well used considering he's been doing it for years and is funnier the more hateful and judgmental it is.

Anyone else been to see it recently? I'm a bit worried that the amount of time spent touring it may run it into the ground (plus i don't want to wait that long for a dvd release).

[Norton Canes]

I was going to pop down last night and see of there'd been any ticket returns but in the end I was too tired. Did see Richard Herring at the same venue a few nights ago though, and he was great too. At one point a heckler chided him for not selling as many tickets as his one-time partner, and...

Hey! Why not let Richard himself take up the story?

[Wet Blanket]

I'm off to see this in Edinburgh tomorrow. Last time I saw him was a Comedy Vehicle warm-up show at the Leicester Square theatre, so I'm equal parts excited/ trepidatious to see a "proper" show in a big theatre. Seats are terrible too, right up in the gods.

[up_the_hampipe]

The Russell Howard bits caused me to shed actual tears, a first for me at a comedy show.

What you havin' a go at Russell Howard for, mate?

It's a great show. I also liked the set littered with second-hand DVDs of various stand-up comedians.

[pigamus]

I've got tickets for Symphony Hall in a few weeks. Looking forward to it!

[DrGreggles]

I'm seeing it next week in Cambridge.
Very looking forward to it indeed.

[DrGreggles]

Couldn't see a specific thread for this.

Saw him in Lancaster yesterday and thought it was superb, start to finish. Bits of it are obviously open to change (as he admitted re: uncertainty about brexit, Trump etc), but the whole thing felt complete as a two hour set albeit in an 'even more intricate CRW grab bag of stuff' type way. The Russell Howard bits caused me to shed actual tears, a first for me at a comedy show. The audience dividing trope was also well used considering he's been doing it for years and is funnier the more hateful and judgmental it is.

Anyone else been to see it recently? I'm a bit worried that the amount of time spent touring it may run it into the ground (plus i don't want to wait that long for a dvd release).

Long show? Or + support?

[Jerzy Bondov]

What you havin' a go at Russell Howard for, mate?

Uhhh, mate?

I also thought it was a very good show, better than SLCV4 (which I liked a lot). Nice to see a proper show after going to a few of his Comedy Vehicle material shows, and I thought the ending was great. Um. Well done then Stew.

No support or encore for us but a good long show.

[Dirty Boy]

Long show? Or + support?

Long show with an interval. Must have been at least two hours, but it flew by.

In case anyone's missed it, here's an extensive interview that's recently appeared.

[Dr Syntax Head]

Hey! Why not let Richard himself take up the story?

Mrs Browns Boys sells more tickets than Stewart

Desolation

[Sgt. Duckie]

Saw this at the Brighton Dome last month. Was sitting right where his digs to the upper seats were and wished he'd give it a rest after a while. Was on top form though, the start to the second half was a clever touch but it sagged slightly with the bondage anecdotes.

[Ringside]

In case anyone's missed it, here's an extensive interview that's recently appeared.

- Beautiful. Thanks!

[Crabwalk]

I'm seeing it next week in Cambridge.
Very looking forward to it indeed.

Me too, especially having listened to the Comedian's Comedian interview today. Absolutely fascinating and sounds like the last big tour Stew will be doing for many years.

[Panbaams]

Saw this in November in Watford, one of the first shows of the tour, I believe. I got the impression then that the first half would change a fair bit as the tour went on (the Brexit vote had happened at this point, but not Trump) whereas the second half was down pat. That's not a criticism, by the way – this was an excellent show, anyone who's got a ticket for it is going to have a good night out.

[Repeater]

Trying to stay resolute in my belief that everything that Stew writes is tripe (aside from his book) and thus avoid clicking that link. Bored but innit?

[Puce Moment]

I saw this in London a few months ago and loved it. I would say that it feels somewhat dashed off - a collection of thoughts taped together rather than a very clear, constructed show around a central concept. But maybe that's because discussions of Trump & Brexit are so diffuse and present everywhere you go - it makes this feel quite chatty. However, I thought coalesced into a nice whole by the end of the show. It seemed less mannered and in the 'Stewart Lee' TM persona of recent years, but maybe that was because it was a work in progress.

On the night I went there was a massive laugh for a bit that he suggested had done no business in the past and he was considering dropping. I wish I could remember which bit it was, and I would love to know whether he was bullshitting. The reason I thought it might be genuine was because he looked over at Bridget Christie by the bar when he said it, but again, could be bollocks.

[Barry Admin]

What sort of stuff is he doing about President Pussy-Grabber?

[Blinder Data]

Saw this last night in Glasgow. IIRC he didn't talk that much about Trump apart from echoing what he said about Brexit at the start of the first half: mocking the reasons for voting for it and the improbable nature of its consequences.

I quite enjoyed it, even if it was in a horrible venue (SEC Armadillo). It's my third time seeing him and I don't think I'll see him again unless it's in a smaller, better venue. I think I'm finally growing a bit tired of his schtick too.

The OAP bondage stuff fell pretty flat. It's always interesting to try to work out what's real and what isn't, especially the local references he made and the interactions with the audience. Some banter with audience members using their phones certainly felt impromptu. To be fair in this exchange the punter was actually quite witty, but like most hecklers/show disruptors they never know when to shut up.

I wasn't sure of the ending. It didn't seem to come together for me. Like Puce Moment says it's pretty chatty and loose. I enjoyed If You Prefer A Milder Comedian, Please Ask For One and Carpet Remnant World more, though I've not seen his WIP shows.

Still, seeing him effortlessly mock other comics' styles and jokes was pretty great. He is pretty great at the old stand-up lark.

[Puce Moment]

Do you remember any particular swipes? He made a comment about the pairing of Romney and Trump (and other people who work with but clearly hate Trump and vice-versa) and made a sly comment about Herring that seemed improvised but probably wasn't. It's hard not to enjoy the really bitchy stuff he does about comics, but I did notice that both he (and Bridget Christie's) digs at Corbyn elicited very little laughter from the London liberal elite that were at the show I went to.

[up_the_hampipe]

Do you remember any particular swipes? He made a comment about the pairing of Romney and Trump (and other people who work with but clearly hate Trump and vice-versa) and made a sly comment about Herring that seemed improvised but probably wasn't. It's hard not to enjoy the really bitchy stuff he does about comics, but I did notice that both he (and Bridget Christie's) digs at Corbyn elicited very little laughter from the London liberal elite that were at the show I went to.

It wasn't. He made the same dig when I saw him. I think others have mentioned it around here as well.

[Puce Moment]

It wasn't. He made the same dig when I saw him. I think others have mentioned it around here as well.

Thanks, he does a good job of making certain thoughts seem spontaneous which I guess is second nature to him at this point.

Something else I remember from watching this show. The two 'repetition' moments really killed me. The funniest I think I have ever seen, but I do think that this material works FAR FAR better live than it does on TV. There is something about the immediacy of it happening in front of you that makes it more preposterous, whereas on TV I think it feels very performed. In any case, those moments have really stuck with me and will make me giggle when walking, driving, cleaning my nuts in the shower.

[Norton Canes]

It wasn't. He made the same dig when I saw him. I think others have mentioned it around here as well

Go on..?

[JCR]

The OAP bondage stuff fell pretty flat. It's always interesting to try to work out what's real and what isn't, especially the local references he made and the interactions with the audience. Some banter with audience members using their phones certainly felt impromptu. To be fair in this exchange the punter was actually quite witty, but like most hecklers/show disruptors they never know when to shut up.

That I thought went on too long as well tonight in auld reekie, though it may have just been the position in the show for me as I think the third quarter of Carpet Remnant World dragged live too.

Think he was slightly hamstrung doing material that's on the surface about FKA Twigs when it was clear instantly that 99% of the crowd tonight had no clue who she is.

Still, like every show of his I'm sure it'll benefit from being rewatched & I'm sure I'll enjoy watching it again when the dvd comes out.

[Ringside]

I think he said there probably wouldn't be any more DVD releases of his live shows....I'm hoping this doesn't stretch to online digital versions maybe?

[Wet Blanket]

Enjoyed his Embra show last night, but like others zoned during the S&M material. Also had no idea what the FKATweets referred to, and still don't. On the other hand near wet myself at the OH MATE bit

I also found myself willing him to get on with it once he started the usual "those people over there didn't get that but these people did" routines. If I was a heckling sort I'd shout "yeah they did".

Do you think the odd digs at the previous night's Glasgow show were genuine or standard rival towns material?

Also who was he referring to with the "we don't have those cakes over here mate I don't go to New York and do 20 minutes on tablet?

[HappyTree]

Not following Lee or Herring particularly, I didn't know they had fallen out. Herring's comment about Moby Dick seemed quite pointed. What's the beef?

[Dirty Boy]

I think it possibly stems from Lee's last appearance on 'Herring's comedy interviews' or whatever it's called. Stew seemed a bit drunk and depressed (and fat) and although i didn't notice anything untoward on the video, folk who were there said there was a weird atmosphere after Stew slagged off Richard's management for about ten minutes (which was removed from the YT vid, apparently at Stews behest).

Probably exaggerated though innit?

[HappyTree]

Ah ok, a stunt falling out with a small grain of resentment. Fairy nuff. I can see why, really, I mean Lee is one of the best stand-ups ever and Herring is not.

[MjjW]

Which of you lot was I sitting beside up in F50s? Loved it having held off seeing him live for a few years. Agree first 2/3 stronger than S+M stuff for me. Probably most enjoyed the mate section, his high pitched song summarising the show so far or his disdainful treatment of the stage "decor"

[RenegadeScrew]

Saw this on Friday in Edinburgh too.

The repetition Russell Howard bit was unbelievable.  The bit about him supporting the market for his 2nd hand DVDs is still wonderful although not massively changed since August.

An absolute master on stage really.