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