It’s a set list you could hardly predict. First, there’ll be a section of Islamophobic comedy. Then, says Stewart Lee, “I’m going to talk exhaustively about urine for half an hour”. Of course.
A Room with a Stew is labelled as work in progress, each block of material building towards an episode for the next series of Stewart Lee’s Comedy Vehicle. What Lee has got is already very progressed, however. There’s hardly a spare word as he does his usual knowing dance.
He’s part craftsman and part torturer as he reels his audience in, and out, and in again, like alternative comedy’s grumpy burlesque act, a precision tease before the punchline is delivered.
The core components of Lee’s act are well known: the knowing sneer, the wilful repetition, the stretching of the boundaries both of ideas and the conventions of comedy. What is exhilarating is how many surprises he still throws in and how deft his jumps are from one tone to another.
His first section is essentially a riff on a Daily Mail article in which Jan Moir called for comedians to joke more often about Muslims. As Lee delivers his 30-minute riposte, the impact is fiercely biting, yet he’s unafraid to also be gloriously childish, using one of his extended rants to belittle the journalist Rod Liddle as a man “with all gravy down him”, among other things.
The section about urine takes several U-turns: from a story of Lee being bullied at school to a playful deconstruction of the phrase “water off a duck’s back”. Then, just when you think Lee’s lost control, he reaches a climax in which he tackles the suicide of comedians including Robin Williams and directs his anger against the audience themselves.
Mocking observational comics, Lee concludes: “It’s not enough is it? You’ve got to have something to say.” Lee still has plenty to say and it’s invigorating to watch him say it.
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube