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