Having spent most of his career performing in low-key art centres around the country, Stewart Lee now has the misfortune of enjoying relative commercial success. As he acknowledges at the beginning of ‘A Room with a Stew’, Colston Hall is packed out with two very different audiences for his show.
There are the liberal middle classes in the front stalls who have been getting off on his sneering comic persona for years (‘the vegetarian restaurants of Bristol will be empty tonight’), but there is now also a new batch of fans to consider as well: the people who saw him for five minutes on television and decided to come with their friends, the kind of people who otherwise ‘go to see Lee Nelson live’.
what does an alternative comedian do once they have made it mainstream?
Of course, Lee vastly exaggerates this audience divide – some of the evening’s biggest laughs are drawn from these ‘new fans’ whenever he mockingly gestures to them in the dress circle – but the problem he poses seems real enough: what does an alternative comedian do once they have made it mainstream?
Drier than a Sainsbury’s Basics roast chicken, this identity crisis is placed at the very centre of ‘A Room with a Stew’ and explored with an ultra-self-consciousness bound to surprise even the most seasoned fans. ‘No one’s equipped to review me’, that is, no one except Stewart Lee himself. His routine is littered with introspection, self-parody, and analysis of jokes both before and after they have been made: ‘See, what these young comics don’t understand is that you’ve got to do the apology before the joke… not two weeks later on Newsnight in a turtleneck’.
No one can escape the cross-hair of his comedy
And causing offense is certainly an issue which occupies Lee as a ‘politically correct liberal’. The first half of the gig is geared around a very carefully constructed and deliberately longwinded joke meant to appease his Daily Mail critics who complain that there is ‘not enough Islamophobia in his act’. Lee knows he is tiptoeing along an ideological tightrope, but it is a gag diluted with so much irony that he manages to place both raging bigots and wincing progressives at its butt: ‘That’s what I want; a whole arena of uncomfortable fans saying “I’m not sure if that’s okay. It’s a very complicated issue”’.
Is there is a line which comedians have to remain cautious of not crossing? If there is, then Lee dances on it, crosses it out, and redraws it elsewhere before leaping right across. No one can escape the cross-hair of his comedy; not the fans; not other comics; and especially not ‘the Paul Nuttalls of UKIP’. Whilst the self-deprecating, existential crisis material never fails to solicit a response, Lee is much better as a social commentator with a sense of humour. Such material has built up his reputation as chief literati funnyman and, assuming he sticks with it, will guarantee that he never plays a half-empty regional art centre again.
Stars: ★★★★
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, 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
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk