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