Is Stewart Lee going soft? After decades of audience-baiting aloofness and mock-froideur, the 54-year-old actually seems to be enjoying himself. “I don’t laugh at my own jokes normally,” he apologised on Tuesday. “The conceit of me is that I hate you and hate doing this.” But two largely audienceless years have put a dent in that conceit, which is no bad thing.
In Basic Lee, he’s palpably thrilled to be back on stage. This is, he tells us, his attempt to return to the basic elements of pure, simple stand-up: “One person, one microphone, and, if you’re Frankie Boyle, a large team of uncredited writers.”
Of course, Lee is never that simple. He’s up to all his usual self-sabotaging tricks: slow, excruciating repetition (he can still be glacial in pace, if not in temperament); jibes at his fans, reviewers and fellow comics; digressions that loop back to the starting point when you least expect it. But compared with his last tour, the precision-tooled double bill Snowflake/Tornado, there’s a looseness to it. He’s left himself space to play in, room for spur-of-the-moment riffing, showing off his “improvisational, um, confidence”. (Even the “ums” are well-placed.)
If the show has a work-in-progress feeling, that’s partly a reflection of the political landscape. Lee pointedly reads out a brief routine about Liz Truss’s cabinet from a bit of paper; he won’t bother to memorise it, he jokes, as they might all be gone by next week. Writing about ministers is “like trying to befriend a disposable barbeque, or marry a mayfly”.
With the government out of the way, he’s on to the real theme of the show: stand-up itself. Lee’s comedy is usually about comedy, but Basic Lee offers a cod-lecture on the elements of stand-up. A recycled routine about Fleabag, originally part of Snowflake/Tornado but dropped after a few weeks, makes more sense here, expanded into a terrifically funny alternative history of comedy and broadcasting.
Speaking of broadcasting, he has plenty to say about the BBC’s odd decision to postpone this month’s TV premiere of Tornado (it will finally air this Thursday). They pulled it from the schedules and replaced it, out of respect for the late Queen, with Colette, a movie packed full of sex scenes. Anyone watching Tornado and Basic Lee back-to-back would have to admit this follow-up’s not quite as sharp, but Tuesday’s gig still had me laughing constantly in its first hour, and through much of the second. Basically, even basic Lee is still better than most.
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.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
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter