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