If 2011’s Carpet Remnant World was Stewart Lee’s ground-breaking psychedelic album, then Much a-Stew About Nothing could – as its title suggests – be his next batch of unfinished demos.
And on first listen it seems, that with a bit of work in the studio, there could be some more cult-classic comedy hits on the way soon.
Lee warns an expectant crowd from the outset that there will be no cleverly-woken narrative thread through this set tonight. Or even a backdrop. He confesses to having arrived armed only with a bundle of fresh ideas, three new set-pieces and an “optional encore – if you want it”, with the best bits set to find themselves polished then eventually put on the tele via the next series of Stewart Lee’s Comedy Vehicle.
But Lee is clearly still reeling from his last visit to the plush Lowry Theatre, which apparently ended badly. After being unable to resist the lure of engaging in a lengthy impromptu dialogue with a Maltese heckler, he was likewise unable to complete his planned show in time and left owing the venue money!
Keen to ensure this doesn’t happen again he quickly distinguishes an early enthusiastic shout-out. “This is not a two-way conversation Salford. This is very much a monologue.” Few comedians can get away with an instant assault on their paying public. But fans of his Comedy Vehicle know by now that it’s best not to back seat drive or question Lee’s often erratic driving. Nor his eventual destination. Just sit back, relax and enjoy the journey – from the post-modern to the surreal, and back again, via his observatory in Hackney.
Ironically though the highlight of a slow-burning first half did come from the audience member, who – to Lee’s delight – offered up “furry eggs”, as a response to the left-field question of what form would a mythical Griffin’s young take? Bird Eggs or Baby Lions? A beautifully bizarre improvised exchange.
After apologising for his first half faux pas of referring to Salford as Manchester – which brought groans from some residents of the Other City – Lee began to move through the comedy gears after the break.
The closest The Lowry came to rapture was after a startling piece of satire regarding a Merseyside politician’s rightist fears about the arrival of an influx of Bulgarian immigrants next year, on the basis that the best Bulgarians should stay where they are for the benefit of Bulgaria. Lee compares this to early mammals ordering the first landed fish back into the sea, and questions whether he himself would have as many fears about moving on from his Liverpool homeland if it would benefit his career.
Other highlights include an abstract reflection on the character traits of Lee’s imaginary black and gay wives – and the tragic-comic gasp around the room when he kills these fictional characters stone dead.
Towards the end Lee – intentionally or not – rolls out a few old hit singles of jokes that have appeared on other tours. But that’s pretty forgiveable for a man who so often pushes the boundaries, and he ends on some half-written jokes read off a piece of paper. With most acts you would feel short-changed in this situation, but with Lee it’s an insight into how he constructs and edits his hilarious world vision.
You get the impression that once it’s been fully MOT’d and given a lick of paint, Stewart Lee’s new comedy vehicle will soon be revved up to full throttle and driving straight up the alternative comedy charts once more.
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, 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
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury