It may have been something of a homecoming for Stewart Lee but that didn’t save a sold out Birmingham crowd from his wrath.
Throughout the course of latest show, titled A Room With a Stew, the Wellington-born stand up didn’t hold back from giving the crowd a piece of his mind.
At least that is what he wants you to think.
It is hard to begrudge Lee his new found, semi mainstream success, even if he seems to be fighting against it.
After years and years of perfecting his craft as an alternative comedian, it seems the wider world is now ready to indulge themselves in his unique stylings, described once upon a time as ‘doing everything but actually telling a joke’.Room With a Stew as a show is a unique concept in the days of social media, where Lee has specifically dedicated over a year to road-testing material for the fourth series of Comedy Vehicle.
As such, the content is a little disjointed, a series of half hour ‘bits’ rather than a 90-minute narrative, such as his fantastic ‘Carpet Remnant World’ or the now legendary ’90s Comedian’ shows.
Even in a slightly scattered show like this, Lee’s in depth knowledge of his own material is staggering, enabling him to harangue the audience for not laughing in the right places, which is ultimately the source of his annoyance.>He also rallies against the younger generation of stand ups, such as Russell Howard, with acidic put downs scattered throughout.
The important thing to remember is that the person on stage isn’t the same Stewart Lee who would make his children breakfast in the morning or go out for a meal with friends, rather a character designed to tackle his new found success while keeping hold of his alternative roots.
Whether there is genuinely a part of him that doesn’t want this ‘new’ audience to come along to his shows is doubtful, his sincere rendition of an old folk song to close the night proving that there is plenty of trust in the room.
It may be the case that next time around, there will be even more stragglers coming along, because Room With A Stew contains enough gems and classic Stewart Lee style comedy that all the signs point towards series four of Comedy Vehicle taking him higher up the stand up rankings.
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter