Stewart Lee has been touring the appallingly-titled ‘Room With A Stew’ show so long his agents obviously thought it safe to slip in a second date at Warwick Arts Centre a year after the first, perhaps relying on the punters’ memories being as useless as their ability to grasp his convoluted brand of stand-up – something the comedian regularly chastises them for.
The tour has been a way to hone and road test material for a new run of his Comedy Vehicle TV show, but while that date 12 months ago showed very much a work in progress, the fourth series is now in the can so this latest performance was much closer to the finished product.
Whether Lee really has a finished product is a moot point.
The set certainly never felt like it – and the comic would baulk at the notion of putting on the same sort of polished routine as the panel-show stars he habitually mocks – but the meticulous construction of his layered material offers damning evidence to the contrary.
Simultaneously intelligent and absurd, he takes logical thoughts – on topics ranging from wealth and patriotism to missing out on a BAFTA and urine – to illogical conclusions.
Lee truly comes into his own when he deconstructs (and often destructs) it all again.
Some elements didn’t quite hit the mark, and the passive-aggressive stance and contempt for the audience shtick are definitely starting to wear a bit thin, but Lee remains the UK’s boldest and most original comedian.
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, 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
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot