Iain Stirling

At the Stand, Glasgow

More Iain Stirling videos

Runner-up in the 2009 Chortle Student Comedy Award and finalist in Scottish Comedian Of The Year 2008, Iain Stirling is also a presenter on CBBC with his puppet sidekick Hacker T. Dog.

Iain Stirling: Fringe 2012
Live Review
Underbelly Bristo Square

Graduating from a tough school to a law degree from Edinburgh University, Iain Stirling has put his education to use as the sidekick of Hacker, a puppet dog on CBBC.

To judge by his mother’s Facebook page, he’s not even her favourite of the two. Fame with seven-year-olds has taken him as far as the Manchester branch of Poundland, where he was branded a ‘fucking clown’ in a dispute over a bin.

He extracted from that argument a desire to embrace his clown side. And a Cliff Richard calendar.  In what Stirling acknowledges is one of the more contrived means of structuring an Edinburgh Fringe solo debut, he links, with virtually no justification, some pretty disparate stand-up through the ridiculous poses Sir Cliff has assumed in various adventurous settings.

That most of these are way beyond parody doesn’t really help him, as he coasts on the laughs generated by the mere flip of a page. Moreover, with a front row of teenage girls revelling in a children’s presenter saying naughty things, there’s perhaps an opportunity missed in a 24-year-old pin-up failing to recognise his affinity with the Peter Pan of Pop.

And therein perhaps lies his problem. Instantly engaging, with an amiable anecdotal style and the capacity to write sharp gags, Stirling hasn’t developed as quickly as might have been expected since breaking onto the circuit. It is speculation to suggest the demands of working in television each weekday and gigging at night has compressed his writing opportunities. But he obviously appreciates what it takes to produce a good Edinburgh Fringe hour and this is only a so-so approximation of that. Flashing up visual gags on a screen, he stops to admonish himself: ‘What are you doing? You’re not Dave Gorman!’

He offers that most familiar yarn of the travelling comedian, the embarrassing fallout of a train toilet door sliding open at the least opportune moment. He delights in the affectionate Glaswegian use of ‘cunt’, a clichéd shout out that even the biggest Glaswegian cunt is getting bored of by now. Trawling through his mother’s Facebook page is none too inspiring either. Yes, you’ve guessed it, she’s not particularly technology-savvy.

But then he’ll deliver some wry recollections on how school nicknames stick, and recall a straight-faced sex education teacher trying manfully to explain contraception to a pregnant 14-year-old. There’s a lovely, self-deprecating edge to his protest at the BBC Scottishing up his image. And he really approaches the peak of his powers with a cruel characterisation of Megabus travellers and a friend’s posh girlfriend, observations from both ends of the class spectrum that resist stereotype with astute, perceptive writing.

Stirling is a stand-up to watch, no question. But hopefully not on children’s television for too much longer.

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I had him on last month doing an Ed preview and thought he was very funny and original. However I did notice he seemed to say fuck every sentence. 6 punters, 2 of whom at least were on their first visit to the venue left after Iains show and didn't see Stephen Carlin's in the 2nd half. The use of the word fuck or cunt in a gag when emphasised can be wonderful. However ever sentence is just OTT. I've never had a punter come up to me after a gig and say "That wasn't very good, the comedians didn't say fuck enough".

mike taylor, June 2012

I had him on last month doing an Ed preview and thought he was very funny and original. However I did notice he seemed to say fuck every sentence. Six punters, two of whom at least were on their first visit to the venue left after Iain's show and didn't see Stephen Carlin's in the 2nd half. The use of the word fuck or cunt in a gag when emphasised can be wonderful. However ever sentence is just OT. I've never had a punter come up to me after a gig and say "That wasn't very good, the comedians didn't say fuck enough".

mike taylor, June 2012

Yes, but he doesn't swear on TV does he? He's a comedian, he's bound to swear. As does every other comedian like Miss London, Paul Currie and even Michael McIntyre, all of which have been on children's television at least once in their life.

Libby, August 2011

Iain shouldn't swear is a bad influence on children.

Morgan Harriman, January 2011

Very talented. Definitely one to watch.

Hannah, July 2010

Definitely a great comedian with fab stage presence which manages to light up the room. He is clearly a very talented comic who is able to write hilarious gags and scripts for CBBC and can also entertain a room full of people. I expect he has a great future ahead!

Molly, April 2010

Vene, He's 22! Let him swear in comedy all good comedians swear! And he's a bloody good one, amazing guy x

Daisy Shaun, March 2010

He's Fresh, funny, fab, funky and fit! He is amazingly talented and really has a great future in comedy

Daisy Shaun, March 2010

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