If you’ve never been to a stand-up gig, Stewart Lee is probably not the best place to start. But if you’ve recently been bitten by the comedy bug and yearn for something more considered than the McIntyre, Manford and Bishop brigade, Lee’s latest show, Vegetable Stew, is perfect. After two decades in the trenches this stocky late bloomer is at his most assured in a mind-expanding piece that unpicks the essence of what makes us chuckle. While, of course, making us chuckle.
Rumour had it that this set was as hard on Adrian Chiles as Lee’s last set was on Richard Hammond. In that show Lee imagined Hammond being decapitated. The mauling here is deceptively mellow, spiralling wonderfully off from a description of Chiles as a talking Toby Jug.
But catch it live because it may still not make it into his next BBC2 series due to guidelines prohibiting sustained personal attacks.
The languid style, complete with footnotes commenting on himself, risks becoming overdone but Lee clearly realises this, peppering proceedings with satirical songs, most effectively one about Russell Brand’s wedding (“Katy Perry’s ceremonial bedding”).
Elsewhere he delivered a pithy riff on his grandfather’s crisp fixation, served up a precise Swiftian assault on the celebrity charity game and deployed an illuminating anecdote about Oxford contemporary David Cameron.
To reveal more would puncture the punchline. Needless to say, Lee has the last laugh.
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, 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
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter