In 1773, Dr Samuel Johnson and his biographer James Boswell took a trip around Scotland and wrote journals about their experiences. Writer and comedian Stewart Lee, co-creator of Jerry Springer: The Opera, has imagined a scenario in which their books are being relaunched today and they appear at the Traverse to plug them.

Boswell (Miles Jupp), in 18th-century garb, gives the audience high fives and delivers a chatshow-style monologue before introducing Johnson (Simon Munnery). The famous curmudgeon proceeds to insult his Scottish hosts and humiliate his faithful friend, and the whole thing rapidly descends into farce.