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