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