TV’s Frankie Boyle has declared that no-one over 40 should do stand-up, as the old comedians lose their edge and their anger. Stewart Lee is 42 and Frankie’s heartless Scottish words have made him wonder if it’s worth carrying on.
Undaunted, the furiously baffled comedian tries to win round the legendarily harsh Glasgow audience with a crowd-pleasing Mcintyre-style routine about coffee shops, but is distracted by scores of imaginary pirates; he tries to talk about every day middle aged men’s concerns, but is drawn into a forty minute rant against Top Gear and all it stands for; he attempts to find some common ground with happy childhood memories that he and the audience can share, but is instead consumed with loathing and despair as a result of a Magners’ Cider advertising campaign.
He screams from the balconies, stumbles in the aisles, and ends with a country and western song. If You Prefer A Milder Comedian Please Ask For One is a vast and all-consuming epic of stand-up comedy, exploring the absolute formal limits of the art form.
There are also some jokes.
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Slothy Matt, Twitter
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Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
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Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
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Funday’schild, youtube.
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John Robins, Comedian
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Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
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Chez, Chortle.com
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World Without End, Twitter
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Dick Socrates, Twitter
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Danazawa, Youtube
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Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
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Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
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Robert Gavin, Twitter
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Wharto15, Twitter
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Peter Ould, 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
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Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
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Fowkes81, Twitter
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Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
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Joycey, readytogo.net
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Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
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Brighton Argus
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Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
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Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
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Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
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A D Ward, Twitter
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Stuart, Chortle
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Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
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Mini-x2, readytogo.net
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Aiden Hearn, Twitter
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Borathigh5, Youtube
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Stokeylitfest, Twitter
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Visualiser1, Twitter
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Guest1001, Youtube
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Sweeping Curves, Twitter
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Anon, westhamonline.com
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Rudeness, Youtube
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Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
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Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
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Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
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Lents, redandwhitekop.com
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Tres Ryan, Twitter
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Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
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Foxfoxton, Youtube
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Hiewy, Youtube
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12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
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Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
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Kozzy06, Youtube
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Jackmumf, Twitter
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FBC, finalgear.com
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Richard Herring, Comedian
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Mrdavisn01, Twitter
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Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
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Peter Ould, Youtube
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Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
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Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
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Anamatronix, Youtube
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Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
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Fairy Pingu, Twitter
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Joe, Independent.co.uk
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Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
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Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
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Clampdown59, Twitter.
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Shit Crit, Twitter
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Frankie Boyle, Comedian
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Meninblack, Twitter
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Liam Travitt, Twitter
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98rosjon, Twitter
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Keilloh, Twitter
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Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
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Pudabaya, Twitter
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Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
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Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
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Zombie Hamster, Twitter
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Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
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Secretdeveloper, Youtube
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Bosco239, youtube
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Anon, BBC Complaints Log
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Emilyistrendy, Youtube
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Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
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Birmingham Sunday Mercury
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Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
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Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
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Horatio Melvin, Twitter
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Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
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Gabrielle, Chortle.com
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Tin Frog, Twitter
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Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
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Contrapuntal, Twitter
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Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
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Carcrazychica, Youtube
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Etienne, Chortle.com
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Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
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Rubyshoes, Twitter
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Mpf1947, Youtube
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Gwaites, Digitalspy
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Cyberbloke, Twitter
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James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
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Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
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Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
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Sam Rooney, Youtube
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Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
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Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
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Idrie, Youtube
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NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
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Iain, eatenbymissionaries
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Peter Fears, Twitter
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GRTak, finalgear.com
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Tokyofist, Youtube
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Aaron, comedy.co.uk
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General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
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Pnethor, pne-online.com
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Sidsings000, Youtube
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Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
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DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
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Leach Juice, Twitter
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Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
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Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
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Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
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Al Murray, Comedian
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Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
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Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
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Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
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Len Firewood, Twitter
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Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
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Microcuts 22, Twitter