STROLLING out for the biggest Scottish date he’s played during a topsy turvy 20-year career, it’s clear that even the Festival Theatre stage isn’t enough to contain Stewart Lee’s comedy vehicle.
Taking his cue from the Johnny Vegas school of wandering among the people (minus the overt physicality), Lee eventually makes his way up to the balcony, continuing a micfree rant about a cider advert’s slogan. For seasoned watchers of the comic who co-wrote Jerry Springer: The Opera, this is classic fourth-wall dismantling Lee; for anyone new to his game, it’s a perplexing, nervy experience where the lines between funny and irritating are deliberately being fogged.
While Lee maintains with apparent uninterest that there are those present who will find his comedy “boring” and “awful”, what he has been solidly delivering in the last five years are masterclasses in the art of stand-up. With this current touring show, If You Prefer A Milder Comedian, Please Ask For One, Lee begins with a made-up letter from a pirate, moves on to the petty bureaucracy he encountered at a high street coffee chain, and along the way takes swipes at the public utterances of Frankie Boyle, Michael McIntyre and Richard “Hamster” Hammond.
Sporting a typically surprising flourish, he ends by singing Steve Earle’s Galway Girl with genuine sincerity, albeit with a couple of references to the night’s material thrown in.
While the concept of failure dominated his immense 41st Best Stand-Up Ever set, here the overarching theme is disappointment. Stewart Lee’s devoted fanbase don’t know the meaning of the word.
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Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
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Liam Travitt, Twitter
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Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
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Danazawa, Youtube
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12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
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Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
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Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
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Robert Gavin, Twitter
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Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
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Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
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Pnethor, pne-online.com
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World Without End, Twitter
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Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
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Al Murray, Comedian
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Secretdeveloper, Youtube
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Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
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Gabrielle, Chortle.com
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Wharto15, Twitter
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Shit Crit, Twitter
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Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
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Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
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Keilloh, Twitter
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Visualiser1, Twitter
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Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
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Hiewy, Youtube
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Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
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Clampdown59, Twitter.
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Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
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James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
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Frankie Boyle, Comedian
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NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
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Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
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Brighton Argus
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Anon, westhamonline.com
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Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
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Mrdavisn01, Twitter
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GRTak, finalgear.com
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Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
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Mpf1947, Youtube
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Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
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Anon, BBC Complaints Log
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Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
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Lents, redandwhitekop.com
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Kozzy06, Youtube
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Richard Herring, Comedian
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Aiden Hearn, Twitter
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Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
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Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
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Iain, eatenbymissionaries
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Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
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Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
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Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
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Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
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Carcrazychica, Youtube
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Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
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Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
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Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
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Peter Ould, Youtube
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Fairy Pingu, Twitter
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Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
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Leach Juice, Twitter
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Contrapuntal, Twitter
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Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
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Rudeness, Youtube
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Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
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Joycey, readytogo.net
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Len Firewood, Twitter
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Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
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Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
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Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
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Sweeping Curves, Twitter
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Funday’schild, youtube.
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98rosjon, Twitter
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Mini-x2, readytogo.net
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Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
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Emilyistrendy, Youtube
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Tokyofist, Youtube
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John Robins, Comedian
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Peter Fears, Twitter
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Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
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Bosco239, youtube
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Aaron, comedy.co.uk
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Gwaites, Digitalspy
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Jackmumf, Twitter
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Guest1001, Youtube
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Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
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Borathigh5, Youtube
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Tin Frog, Twitter
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Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
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Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
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Sam Rooney, Youtube
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Fowkes81, Twitter
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DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
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Stokeylitfest, Twitter
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A D Ward, Twitter
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Microcuts 22, 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
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
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Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
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Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
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FBC, finalgear.com
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General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
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Neolab, Guardian.co.uk