Life on tour for a successful comedian can be a bit of a slog, but for Stewart Lee, Shrewsbury left its mark when he performed in the county town last year.
“We walked past a pub where an acoustic guitarist was playing covers of John Martyn songs, and they were selling a nice local bitter—and that is about as good as it gets on the road,” the 45-year-old recalled.
With the county town a regular date on his tours over the past 25 years, Lee’s association with Shropshire goes back even further than that, having been born in Wellington before moving to Solihull, where he developed an early taste for comedy.
“My grandparents, who brought me up as a little kid, were very much of the area. They were both on the shop floor at Cadbury’s before the war, spoke with the accents of the area and had a distinct sense of humour. My grandfather was a big influence on me in that way,” he said.
A London resident for many years, Lee admits that his Midlands accent has become somewhat diluted, yet he still sees his native tongue as a potent weapon in his comedic arsenal.
“If I’m saying something really pretentious, dogmatic or contentious, if I let a little bit of the lilt trickle back into my voice, it seems to neutralise it. I think people trust the Birmingham accent, they don’t seem to think it’s capable of deceit or guile, or pretentiousness. There’s something really great about it,” he said.
Lee doesn’t confine references to his West Midlands roots to the accent. When asked about a type of curry that could sum him up, Lee stays very much close to home.
“A balti, probably. Something that began with a localised popularity, but appears to be becoming a national dish,” he joked.
Lee first rose to prominence as the writing and performing partner of Richard Herring, with Lee and Herring’s Fist of Fun comedy show a hit on BBC radio and television in the early to mid-1990s. A Sunday lunchtime show, This Morning With Richard Not Judy, took the pair to the end of the decade and, along with it, the end of their professional partnership.
The past 14 years have seen Lee perform a number of themed stand-up shows, with titles such as 90s Comedian, 41st Best Stand-Up Ever, If You Prefer a Milder Comedian, Please Ask For One and last year’s Carpet Remnant World. Hot on the heels of a run at this year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Lee’s new show, Much A-Stew About Nothing, kicked off its national tour on Tuesday. So what can the audience expect when it rolls into Shrewsbury on Monday?
“The idea of this tour is that normally when I do a tour I write a show that’s a two-hour through line, it’s got some kind of beginning, middle and end, and some kind of story to it. Every couple of years, I do a tour where I try and work out three hours of stuff for the telly show, so any stories or ideas have to be self-contained within a 30-minute loop,” he explained.
The “telly show” Lee referred to is Stewart Lee’s Comedy Vehicle, the BBC production that won the Bafta award for best comedy programme last year. With a third series scheduled for March next year, Lee finds that his inspiration comes from a middle-aged point of view these days.
“I tried to fix a light in the kitchen about six months ago in the middle of the night, fell and ended up in A & E. I think they thought I had been drinking or was on drugs, and I worked that into half an hour about what it’s like to be a middle-aged dad and to be weak and vulnerable,” he said, adding that he still hadn’t lost his eye for a dig at politicians.
“I’ve got half an hour on UKIP policy. I’d dropped the kids off at school and I had the car radio on and the bloke from UKIP came on. He did a really incoherent, mad interview, which was quite funny, and then I found it online and you suddenly had half an hour.”
With Much A-Stew About Nothing stopping off at some large venues, such as Birmingham’s 2,200-seat capacity Symphony Hall, Lee’s popularity is clearly broadening much to the comedian’s consternation.
“The perception of me is that [my audience] is just a load of Guardian readers, but it’s hilarious now, it’s so diverse. You get a whole spread, old people,” he said.
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com