Billed as Stewart Lee’s most “streamlined” show in a decade, Basic Lee is anything but. Even by his standards of deconstruction, this is a show with considerable baggage, tossed around lightly, as he archly picks apart the art of stand-up, while playing with his relationship to it.
He opens with and occasionally returns to one of his routines from 1989, in which he’s doorstepped by an evangelical Christian, revelling in the audacity of performing 34-year-old material, dated references intact. Topical, political routines are a fool’s errand he mutters, now that his tours significantly outlast Tory governments.
But he grudgingly has a go, with a perverse conflation of the more bizarre aspects of mourning the death of the Queen, getting professionally sidelined as the TV schedules were cleared, and his baser instincts – which still pale in comparison to those he attributes to Prince Andrew.
His supercilious persona is keen to show that he’s mastered every aspect of stand-up, from Live At The Apollo-styleobservations, to (out of character) extended crowd interrogation, to emotionally deeper stuff. However, he barely does more than allude to his early life before he was adopted, and an engagement that foundered on differing views of indie film director Hal Hartley, before claiming he invented the soul-baring style.
As ever, he’s keen to place himself in the pantheon of comics, with snipes at Kevin Bridges, Frankie Boyle and his former double-act partner Richard Herring; he projects himself as the great sad clown Pagliacci and casts Barry Cryer, Sean Lock and Daniel Kitson as bit-part players in his close miss at pre-empting Phoebe Waller Bridge’s huge success with Fleabag.
For the most part it’s all very tongue-in-cheek, even as he artfully negotiates JK Rowling’s trans controversies, Brexit and mental health issues in oblique, inventive ways.
At his (affected) grouchiest, Lee is clearly having fun, invoking jazz as he riffs on his repertoire and reputation, with a verve that is infectious.
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
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
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter