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