The comedian who looks like a lot of other famous people took to the Ulster Hall last night — and for a self-styled frustrated middle-aged liberal, there’s still plenty of bite in Stewart Lee.
The opening gag of If You Prefer A Milder Comedian, Please Ask For One gets off to a (pretend?) wobbly start when a member of the audience, asked if she drinks coffee, tells him she doesn’t.
He harangues his capacity Ulster Hall audience for letting him down before he picks up the story again. That segues into kids’ adventure centres, and the inappropriateness of a pirate activity centre as a first date for a pirate — then he’s off into country life and the angriest but most inventive segment of his show.
There’s a sustained attack on all three Top Gear presenters but it’s Richard Hammond who gets the hardest time.
It’s not for the sensitive but it’s funny, imaginative and refreshing to see a seemingly unassailable aspect of our culture held up to ridicule.
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter