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