If last year’s Stewart Lee-penned historic character comedy Johnson And Boswell was a ramshackle, late-night treat, its successor is sadly rather closer to that inadvisable end of the evening kebab.
Miles Jupp and a dragged-up, white-faced Simon Munnery return to play Sir Walter Raleigh and Elizabeth I, but they’re not really afforded the chance to show the odd-couple chemistry of last year. It’s not a case of bad acting; rather a script that’s not a whole lot more than a slew of period-themed gags, puns and wordplay of decidedly mixed quality.
There’s jokes about potatoes, the Spanish, the Armada, and by and large they’re pretty chuckle-worthy; but we’ve all seen the second series of Blackadder. Lee-esque touches are present throughout – a cockeyed engagement with actual facts, a rather peculiar Jimmy Carr-based slideshow segment – but it doesn’t really add up to much. Maybe he was aiming for a knockabout, late-night looseness, but the most frustrating thing is that very occasionally it threatens to engage with the roots of Englishness. You can’t argue the talent of all involved, but it simply feels like a rush job.
Until Aug 25 (not 13), Udderbelly’s Pasture (V300), 10.35pm. www.underbelly.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
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Joe, Independent.co.uk
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Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
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Dick Socrates, Twitter
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Etienne, Chortle.com
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Visualiser1, Twitter
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Sidsings000, Youtube
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Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
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Borathigh5, Youtube
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Gwaites, Digitalspy
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Mrdavisn01, Twitter
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Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
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Len Firewood, Twitter
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Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
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Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
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Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
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Robert Gavin, Twitter
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
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Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
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A D Ward, Twitter
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Secretdeveloper, Youtube
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Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
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Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
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Iain, eatenbymissionaries
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Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
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Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
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Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
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Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
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Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
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Cyberbloke, Twitter
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Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
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Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
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Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
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Mini-x2, readytogo.net
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Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
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Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
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Chez, Chortle.com
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Rudeness, Youtube
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Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
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Pnethor, pne-online.com
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
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Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
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Gabrielle, Chortle.com
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
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Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
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Rubyshoes, Twitter
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12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
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Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
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Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
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Funday’schild, youtube.
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Mpf1947, Youtube
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Tres Ryan, Twitter
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Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
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Foxfoxton, Youtube
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube