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