Walking away from the Soho Theatre after Stewart Lee's latest show, a friend who hasn't seen that much live comedy commented that we've got to see so much more. The only problem is that I worry that he's peaked way too early. I've seen a lot of stand up over the years, yet I've never seen anything even close to being this stunningly good before.
Wow's the one word that jumps to mind when describing Lee. It may not be the most beautiful adjective or poetic description ever used, but it does sum up just how astonishingly great his stand up is. Whilst his Fist of Fun and This Morning With Richard Not Judy ex-partner Richard Herring is still performing material similar to that found in their tv shows, Lee's stepped up to a league which contains only the most legendary of comedians. From routines about 7/7, Joe Pasquale stealing other comedians jokes, having an endescopy, the effect Jerry Springer The Opera and the outrage it caused had on him, to Dan Brown's novels and the Pope's death last year, and how this might affect sales of Pope shaped lollipops, there isn't a less than stunning moment in the entire show, and it's the beauty of the language he uses, and Lee's immaculate timing, that makes it so special.
He ties in jokes from earlier on in the set with sublime ease, and his material is so layered you'll find yourself chuckling hours later after hearing it, still in disbelief that it's so good. The set ends on the already infamous "Jesus Joke".
The only downside to his performance is that I worry Lee's ruined comedy for me for good. That however great another stand up is, I'll always leave muttering, sure, that was superb, but it wasn't as astonishing as Stewart Lee was. I've no doubt that in the way people claim they saw The Beatles play the Cavern Club in the Sixties, or The Sex Pistols at the 100 Club in the Seventies, in the future many will claim they saw Lee at the Soho theatre in 2005.
The poster has a quote declaring Lee the 'New Bill Hicks'. It's wrong though. He's better than the admittedly great but definitely over-rated Hicks ever was.
The live DVD of Lee's previous show was released on October 18th, and it's equally as good. He's touring 90's Comedian right now, so check out his site, http://www.stewartlee.co.uk/main.html for details.
Alex Finch.
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