This is, says Stewart Lee, a show of two halves. The first will be about Islamophobia; the second “exclusively about urine.” And to his dubious credit, the comedian keeps to his word. A Room with a Stew is another of Lee’s sort-of gigs – he is preparing for a new tour and a fourth series of his Comedy Vehicle, and is workshopping various half hours of material before the show proper and BBC recording next year.
It is billed as “work-in-progress”, but however much the comedian shows his workings tonight – prefacing routines with explanations that they don’t really “fit the narrative”, and analysing audience reactions throughout (“I try jokes out and if the audience gets them, I cut them,” he says, possibly only two-thirds joking), this is a typically meticulous affair.
As usual, his routines are exhaustively thought through, neatly tied up and delivered with the consummate, swaggering ease of a stand-up who knows that it is near impossible for him to do wrong. The meaner he is to his fans, the louder they laugh. “You can’t understand anything, can you?” he growls. The audience guffaws with delight.
The first half is a riot, and packed with laughs. In a response to Nigel Farage’s recent comments that the stand-up comedy scene is staffed by lazy lefties peddling liberal bias, and to “get the Daily Mail off his back”, Lee has opted for a different tack – namely, observational Islamophobic comedy. “Have you seen these Muslims they have now?” and so on.
There’s a typically long-winded story about a woman in a burka on a bus that essentially goes nowhere but takes lovely little diversions into topics such as being stalked on Twitter, cliches of speech and Roy Chubby Brown. As for the Islamophobia, it reaches a punchline in the end, one that leaves you laughing and a little punchdrunk, so rigorously is it argued.
The urine half is lower key. It starts out as classic Lee – a surreal youthful tale, a daft figure of speech and some bludgeoning repetition. Then, just as one might think that he has taken his foot off the pedal a bit, let the energy drop a little too low, he turns the whole routine back on the audience and ends up talking about Robin Williams’ suicide. Never dare to think you know where you are with Lee.
There is an intriguing aside, too, about his deafness. Lee has just started wearing a hearing aid and for the first time in years he can hear the crowd’s laughter. It makes it that bit harder for him to maintain his cold, aloof character, he says, and certainly he looks to be having fun tonight, as he playfully challenges the crowd to keep up. He is, I think, the only comedian who can get away with deconstructing and critiquing his own routines as he goes along and not be repellent. He, and his material, are simply that good. And if there’s a lingering sense that the joke is always a little on us, somehow that feels like a good thing.
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter