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