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