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