The relationship between Sir Walter Raleigh and his questionably virgin queen has long been pondered upon, but this new play by Stewart Lee harbours no such pretensions.
It is from the outset a larger-than-life, multi-media caricature of their supposed love story, turning it into a kind of lurid adult pantomime complete with Simon Munnery as the (literal) drag Queen.
Miles Jupp’s blustering Raleigh introduces the play with an overview of his life’s achievements, via the unexpected medium of a slideshow featuring Jimmy Carr as a fictional Elizabethan prize-giver and ‘racist Morris dancer’, and things become increasingly surreal from there.
However, there is no doubt that Munnery’s deliberately grotesque parody of Queen Elizabeth is the star of the show and his performance is perfectly deadpan, an essential quality if he is to portray a 16th century queen dealing with her anger by vigorous bouncing on a mini trampoline.
Some of the show’s funniest moments are in his impromptu reactions to the audience and to faults with the set and costumes, notably when a plank falls from the makeshift gallows and he turns on Raleigh demanding: “How can I trust a man who is no good at woodwork?” Unfortunately, this is where Jupp’s portrayal of the archetypal simpering Englishman is perhaps too convincing, as he often finds it difficult not to snigger at his co-star’s wit.
The script contains moments of real beauty, brilliance and humour, but it strays from the poetic into a convoluted tangle of loops and flourishes which trip the actors on several occasions.
Although it is based on puns, wordplay and outrageous insults, the finale is too briskly reached and strangely solemn, leaving a question mark over whether the play’s intention is to entertain or to seriously ponder the nature of Elizabeth and Raleigh’s relationship after all. If that is the case, it is well wide of the mark – but as a panto, it’s a hoot.
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus