Historical themes are not always the easiest for a theatre group to capture, what with actual facts always getting in the way. The best and worst of these attempts are here.
Warming himself to the audience like a cuddly chat show host, Sir Walter Raleigh, discoverer of worlds, champion of potatoes, begins with his particular brand of obsequious fawning for the greatness of others. Then behold, ladies and gentlemen, the bizarre, wonderful, crazed and incongruous introduction to what is Elizabeth and Raleigh: Late but Live.
Playing Raleigh with panache, wit and throwaway fun is Miles Jupp, whose perfect foil, Queen Elizabeth I, is played imperiously by Simon Munnery. The pairing of these two great comedians is like nothing else at the Fringe, and for those lucky enough to have seen Johnson and Boswell: Late but Live last year, expect more of the same weirdly madcap humour. Penned by Stewart Lee, the jokes in the show are the kind that produce great bubbles of joyous, unexpected laughter. A strong sense of the historical is mixed in with the best kind of modern silliness, and the heightened language only adds to the excellence of the base humour. This is the Fringe at its best, and those who witness Raleigh’s culinary humiliation are likely to agree.
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
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Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
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Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
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Sweeping Curves, Twitter
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Hiewy, Youtube
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Clampdown59, Twitter.
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General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
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12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
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Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
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Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
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Kozzy06, Youtube
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Stuart, Chortle
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Shit Crit, Twitter
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Chez, Chortle.com
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Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
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Gwaites, Digitalspy
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Anon, BBC Complaints Log
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Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
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Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
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Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
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Mpf1947, Youtube
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Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
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Rudeness, Youtube
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Keilloh, Twitter
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Danazawa, Youtube
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Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
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Iain, eatenbymissionaries
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Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
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Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
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A D Ward, Twitter
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Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
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Rubyshoes, Twitter
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Aaron, comedy.co.uk
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James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
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FBC, finalgear.com
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Pudabaya, Twitter
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Anon, westhamonline.com
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Gabrielle, Chortle.com
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Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
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Joycey, readytogo.net
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Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
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Contrapuntal, Twitter
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Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
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Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
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Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
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Z-factor, Twitter.
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Fowkes81, Twitter
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Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
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Tokyofist, Youtube
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Leach Juice, Twitter
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Wharto15, Twitter
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Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
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Borathigh5, Youtube
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DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
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GRTak, finalgear.com
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Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
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Bosco239, youtube
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Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
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Stokeylitfest, Twitter
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Funday’schild, youtube.
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Dick Socrates, Twitter
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Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
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Joe, Independent.co.uk
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Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
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Zombie Hamster, Twitter
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Idrie, Youtube
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Brighton Argus
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Frankie Boyle, Comedian
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Tres Ryan, Twitter
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Jackmumf, Twitter
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Tin Frog, Twitter
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98rosjon, Twitter
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Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
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Microcuts 22, Twitter
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Visualiser1, Twitter
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Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
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Slothy Matt, Twitter
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Cyberbloke, Twitter
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Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
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Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
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Jamespearse, Twitter
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Len Firewood, Twitter
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Sam Rooney, Youtube
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NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
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Etienne, Chortle.com
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Mini-x2, readytogo.net
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Liam Travitt, Twitter
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Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
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Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
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Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
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World Without End, Twitter
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Foxfoxton, Youtube
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Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
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Carcrazychica, Youtube
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Peter Fears, Twitter
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Horatio Melvin, Twitter
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Meninblack, Twitter
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Mrdavisn01, Twitter
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Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
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Guest1001, Youtube
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John Robins, Comedian
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Peter Ould, Twitter
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Lents, redandwhitekop.com
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Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
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Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
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Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
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Al Murray, Comedian
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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
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Robert Gavin, Twitter
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Pnethor, pne-online.com
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Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
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Sidsings000, Youtube
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Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
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Birmingham Sunday Mercury
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Fairy Pingu, Twitter
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Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
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Emilyistrendy, Youtube
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Mearecate, Youtube
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Anamatronix, Youtube
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Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
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Peter Ould, Youtube
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Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
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Aiden Hearn, Twitter
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Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
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Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk