It would be fair to say that comedian Stewart Lee divides opinion.
Loved by many – including the residents of Nottingham where he was performing his third show in a matter of months – he’s also despised by critics and some fellow stand-ups alike, as he reminded us during the opening sequence of his new show A Room With A Stew.
In 2012 when Lee brought his Carpet Remnant World show to Nottingham, I noted that his constant disappointment with sections of the Playhouse crowd who weren’t his ‘fans’ was a theme throughout. Well, in four years, little has changed.
Lee still holds his audience, other stand-ups and, frankly, everyone in contempt, but it is the deconstruction and multi-layered nature of his work that remains so engaging.
He continues to pull no punches – James Corden’s admiration for Lee described as ‘like a dog listening to classical music‘ – but these moments are always used as a means to an end, rather than simply being vitriolic in themselves.
If you’d never seen Lee before turning up at one of his shows you could be forgiven for feeling somewhat bewildered.
A long sequence about Sunday Times columnist Rod Liddle being covered in food made no sense even to die-hard fans, while his laconic style always makes him look like a middle-aged man ranting at a bus stop.
And, unlike previous shows where the 47-year-old ties the loose threads of his story together in a cleverly developed finale, this show features shorter ‘sets’, partly because much of the comic’s time has been taken up writing the next series of his BAFTA-nominated – but unsuccessful, as he pointed out at length – TV series Comedy Vehicle.
“No-one is equipped to review me” he declared early on, and maybe he is right.
Watching Lee’s constant use of irony and self-awareness is akin to peeling back the layers of an onion – you’re never quite sure what you’re going to get next although it will often make you cry.
In a good way, of course.
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, 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
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com