Stewart Lee and Max Wall.

Saw Stewart Lee's show Carpet Remnant World. Not often an anticipated experience delivers. I'd heard him speak about Jerry Springer at a theatre conference at Warwick. I'd read his book on stand up and seen his latest series on BBC 2.  All of which made me want to see him live.  It's a long time since I've seen someone so funny, so uncondescending, and so in control of the room.  He has all the skills.  He makes a point in his second book - If You'd Like a Milder Comedian - that he has no talent as an actor. Maybe. But he knows all about physicality and timing.  In some ways it reminded me of seeing Max Wall who also used to deconstruct his act.  He'd explain he was going to tell you a joke, explain its inadequacies, apologise for telling it, tell you where you'd laugh and why you'd laugh, all of which was immaculately funny, and then about half an hour later tell the joke and step back and watch disappointed as you fell about all over again.  Lee doesn't do jokes, but in their technique they have much in common.  I saw him last week and I've been smiling ever since.