In many ways, Stewart Lee shows are all previews. He’s always testing his stuff on the audience, working out why gags do or don’t work as he goes along, deconstructing his skits for even more laughs.
But Much A-Stew About Nothing was especially open in its aims: there were three separate 30-minutes slots being prepped to make up the new series of Stewart Lee’s Comedy Vehicle.
He tagged on a free work-in-progress encore, too, and showed how he builds up an idea in much the same way Phil Spector might make a wall of sound.
Even half-complete, his tearing apart of Vodafone and its digital parenting advice – “what’s wrong with analogue?” – was worthy of three stars.
The rest of the material, which occasionally descended to agreement, ie claps not laughs, or “mass acceptance from a narrow demographic”, was mostly that rare thing in comedy: progressive.
Picking out his favourite Tories to explain why he’ll vote Tory was a clever set-up; his admiration for Peter Stringfellow’s work provided the best gag of the night.
A well-constructed piece on stereotypes using cabbies, call-backs and his imaginary black wife and gay husband was another keeper.
Even without overall narrative the material flowed. Because anyone who can combine the idea of a parasitic worm up a cat’s backside and shoehorn his wife into the joke knows how to weave lines together.
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
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Len Firewood, Twitter
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Sidsings000, Youtube
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Cyberbloke, Twitter
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Bosco239, youtube
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Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
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World Without End, Twitter
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Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
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Secretdeveloper, Youtube
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Peter Fears, Twitter
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Fairy Pingu, Twitter
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Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
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Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
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Tokyofist, Youtube
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Clampdown59, Twitter.
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Visualiser1, Twitter
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Rudeness, Youtube
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Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
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Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
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Idrie, Youtube
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DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
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Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
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James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
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Dick Socrates, Twitter
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Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
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Shit Crit, Twitter
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Peter Ould, Youtube
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Emilyistrendy, Youtube
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12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
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Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
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Mpf1947, Youtube
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Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
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Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
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Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
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Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
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Aiden Hearn, Twitter
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Anon, westhamonline.com
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Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
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Horatio Melvin, Twitter
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Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
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Jackmumf, Twitter
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Mini-x2, readytogo.net
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Funday’schild, youtube.
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Guest1001, Youtube
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Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
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Anamatronix, Youtube
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Z-factor, Twitter.
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Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
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Hiewy, Youtube
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Joe, Independent.co.uk
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Genghis McKahn, 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
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
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GRTak, finalgear.com
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Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
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Stuart, Chortle
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
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Slothy Matt, Twitter
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Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
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Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
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Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
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Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter