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.
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
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Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
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Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
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Mrdavisn01, Twitter
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Lents, redandwhitekop.com
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
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Peter Fears, Twitter
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Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
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Fowkes81, Twitter
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Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
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Peter Ould, Youtube
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Idrie, Youtube
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Funday’schild, youtube.
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Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
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Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
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Cyberbloke, Twitter
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Mini-x2, readytogo.net
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Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
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Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
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Clampdown59, Twitter.
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James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
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Sweeping Curves, Twitter
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Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
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Chez, Chortle.com
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Rubyshoes, Twitter
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Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
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Emilyistrendy, Youtube
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Sidsings000, Youtube
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Dick Socrates, Twitter
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Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
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Sam Rooney, Youtube
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Tin Frog, Twitter
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Carcrazychica, Youtube
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Zombie Hamster, Twitter
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Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
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Wharto15, Twitter
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Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
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A D Ward, Twitter
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Meninblack, Twitter
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Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
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Fairy Pingu, Twitter
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Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
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Gwaites, Digitalspy
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Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
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Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
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Bosco239, youtube
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Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
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Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
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Jamespearse, Twitter
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Aaron, comedy.co.uk
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Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
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Anon, westhamonline.com
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
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Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
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Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
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FBC, finalgear.com
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Z-factor, Twitter.
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Microcuts 22, Twitter
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Stuart, Chortle
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Foxfoxton, Youtube
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Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
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Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
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Guest1001, Youtube
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Liam Travitt, Twitter
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
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Slothy Matt, Twitter
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Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
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Keilloh, Twitter
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12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
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Rudeness, Youtube
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Brighton Argus
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Shit Crit, Twitter
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Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
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Tokyofist, Youtube
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Joycey, readytogo.net
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Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
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Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
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Iain, eatenbymissionaries
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Danazawa, Youtube
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Pudabaya, Twitter
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DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
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Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
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Stokeylitfest, Twitter
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Frankie Boyle, Comedian
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Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
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Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
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Horatio Melvin, Twitter
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John Robins, Comedian
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Anamatronix, Youtube
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Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
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Secretdeveloper, Youtube
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Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
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World Without End, Twitter
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Gabrielle, Chortle.com
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Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
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98rosjon, Twitter
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Robert Gavin, Twitter
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Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
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Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
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Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
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Borathigh5, Youtube
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Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
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Tres Ryan, Twitter
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Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
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Peter Ould, Twitter
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Mpf1947, Youtube
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Hiewy, Youtube
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Joe, Independent.co.uk
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Pnethor, pne-online.com
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Etienne, Chortle.com
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Visualiser1, Twitter
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Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
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Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
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Leach Juice, Twitter
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Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
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Mearecate, Youtube