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