Walter Raleigh, in a high state of excitement, believes his many achievements and discovery of the potato and tobacco, will win the hand of Queen Elizabeth. In this endeavour, he is sadly mistaken.
Walter Jupp (sic) does the best with the material given, but his patter falls short. The play only picks up with the grand entrance of QE1, Simon Munnery, dressed to the nines in a black and white gown, pearls everywhere, red ragged wig, painted white face and wearing the ocassional men’s underwear.
The Queen’s entrance is followed by her un-PC attacks on most European countries and everyone not fortunate enough to be English. Munnery manages the right level of disdain and arrogance, lacking in Sir Walter who prances around the stage like a lost teenager in love.
There are a few good scenes, such as the ships passing in the fog and the Queen giving Sir Walt his own medicine, that is, feeding him mashed potatoes. The whole project, however, needs to be tighter and is desparate for more jokes. These two historical characters should have been a wonderful opportunity for amusing banter, but Blackadder did it much better years ago.
The set is attractive albeit minimal. Having a mute servant girl play various musical instruments was a nice touch. Even though Stewart Lee has written several two handers, the script let everyone down.
There is a story that Queen Elixabeth was very conscious of hygiene. She took a bath once a year even when she didn’t need it. Simon Munnery certainly looked the part.
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Zoot Cadillac, Twitter
Zoot Cadillac, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Dan McCaid, Twitter
Dan McCaid, Twitter
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Spursguy, Youtube
Spursguy, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
XPIJONpsY, Twitter
XPIJONpsY, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Herald Scotland.
Herald Scotland.
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.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
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube