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.
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Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
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Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
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BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
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Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
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Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
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Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
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Gwaites, Digitalspy