Stewart Lee’s latest venture feels like a work in progress, the impression hardly dispelled by a faulty sound system.
Elizabeth (Simon Munnery) and Raleigh (Miles Jupp) looks at the two historical characters using the same techniques as last year’s more fluid and satisfying portrait of Johnson and Boswell.
In this case, each of Mia Flodquist’s impeccably costumed stars lead off by delivering a comic monologue, loosely linked to their characters, Raleigh reminding us about potatoes and tobacco, his Queen denouncing every breed of foreigner known in her lifetime.
The highlights are a mini-armada and then, after a gratuitous striptease, a scene leading to the beheading of Sir Walter. Then it is all downhill to an abrupt ending after around 40 minutes, seemingly because the material has run out.
There are some good jokes along the way, the best generated out of the Dunkirk (Plymouth?) spirit engendered by a buzzing microphone.
Stewart Lee is one of the biggest names in town after creating Jerry Springer and his popular stand-up routines but he has not done himself or anyone of his colleagues a favour on this occasion.
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter