STROLLING out for the biggest Scottish date he’s played during a topsy turvy 20-year career, it’s clear that even the Festival Theatre stage isn’t enough to contain Stewart Lee’s comedy vehicle.
Taking his cue from the Johnny Vegas school of wandering among the people (minus the overt physicality), Lee eventually makes his way up to the balcony, continuing a micfree rant about a cider advert’s slogan. For seasoned watchers of the comic who co-wrote Jerry Springer: The Opera, this is classic fourth-wall dismantling Lee; for anyone new to his game, it’s a perplexing, nervy experience where the lines between funny and irritating are deliberately being fogged.
While Lee maintains with apparent uninterest that there are those present who will find his comedy “boring” and “awful”, what he has been solidly delivering in the last five years are masterclasses in the art of stand-up. With this current touring show, If You Prefer A Milder Comedian, Please Ask For One, Lee begins with a made-up letter from a pirate, moves on to the petty bureaucracy he encountered at a high street coffee chain, and along the way takes swipes at the public utterances of Frankie Boyle, Michael McIntyre and Richard “Hamster” Hammond.
Sporting a typically surprising flourish, he ends by singing Steve Earle’s Galway Girl with genuine sincerity, albeit with a couple of references to the night’s material thrown in.
While the concept of failure dominated his immense 41st Best Stand-Up Ever set, here the overarching theme is disappointment. Stewart Lee’s devoted fanbase don’t know the meaning of the word.
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Tres Ryan, Twitter
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Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
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Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
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Meninblack, Twitter
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Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
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Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
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Aaron, comedy.co.uk
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Microcuts 22, Twitter
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Jamespearse, Twitter
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Birmingham Sunday Mercury
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Al Murray, Comedian
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Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
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Bosco239, youtube
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Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
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Sweeping Curves, Twitter
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FBC, finalgear.com
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GRTak, finalgear.com
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Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
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Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
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Zombie Hamster, Twitter
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Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
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Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
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BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
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Mpf1947, Youtube
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Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
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Anamatronix, Youtube
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Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
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Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
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Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
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Aiden Hearn, Twitter
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Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
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Tin Frog, Twitter
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Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
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Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
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Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
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Borathigh5, Youtube
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Robert Gavin, Twitter
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Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
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Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
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Richard Herring, Comedian
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NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
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Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
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Frankie Boyle, Comedian
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Joycey, readytogo.net
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Horatio Melvin, Twitter
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Anon, BBC Complaints Log
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Shit Crit, Twitter
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Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
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Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
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John Robins, Comedian
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Iain, eatenbymissionaries
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Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
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Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
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Wharto15, Twitter
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A D Ward, Twitter
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Carcrazychica, Youtube
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General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
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Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
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Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
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Keilloh, Twitter
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Mini-x2, readytogo.net
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Sidsings000, Youtube
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Sam Rooney, Youtube
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Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
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Clampdown59, Twitter.
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Leach Juice, Twitter
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Foxfoxton, Youtube
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Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
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Rudeness, Youtube
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Lents, redandwhitekop.com
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Peter Fears, Twitter
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Stokeylitfest, Twitter
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Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
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Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
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Len Firewood, Twitter
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Contrapuntal, Twitter
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Etienne, Chortle.com
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Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
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Anon, westhamonline.com
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Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
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Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
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James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
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Pnethor, pne-online.com
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Dick Socrates, Twitter
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Liam Travitt, Twitter
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Pudabaya, Twitter
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Joe, Independent.co.uk
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Peter Ould, Twitter
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Gabrielle, Chortle.com
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DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter